Let Go
by moonlitmuse
Summary: Someone is after Beth so she runs to the one place she feels safe...with Mick. As they work together to find her attacker, they have no choice but to deal with some truths they've been avoiding for too long. MickBeth - Set after "Fever"
1. Chapter 1

**Pairing**: Mick/Beth

**Rating**: PG-13ish

**Warnings**: nothing too explicit (at least, not yet), but I do warn for sexual situations & suggestions and mild language

**Summary**: Set after "Fever." Beth gets into trouble and runs to Mick for help. _Things_ happen.

**Disclaimer: **If I owned them there'd be more Josef, no Coraline, Mick and Beth would live happily ever after, and we'd have a 24 hour Moonlight channel. Sadly, they belong to CBS...who better pick them up for a full season before the fans go crazy.

**A/N: **This is the first fic I've written in awhile, and it's definitely not what I normally write turns red. Comments are always appreciated : )

**Note:** Mick's voiceovers are in _italics_

**Let Go**

**Chapter 1**

_Sometimes, you can try your hardest to do the right thing, even if it's killing you inside. But in the end, it's not just up to you. I haven't seen Beth since that night in the motel and even though it's been a week, I can still feel her blood singing through my veins. I know that's impossible, but I feel it nonetheless. I feel her. It's made it even harder to stay away, to not answer the door when she knocks. I can feel her hurt each time she walks away but I know it's for her own good, so I force myself to stay strong. I console myself with her nightly BuzzWire reports, convinced it's the closest I can allow myself to get to her. But I lie. If she needs me, I'll be there…just like I always have._

* * *

Beth stood and stretched. It was 2 a.m. and she'd spent the last 3 hours hunched over her laptop writing a follow-up for the night's breaking story. She was the last in the office again but she didn't mind. She'd developed a real fondness for solitude lately, a trait she blamed entirely on Mick. He was avoiding her, dodging her calls and visits. She needed to talk to him, to know he was okay and wasn't blaming himself for biting her. 

_Bite_. Just the memory sent a shiver through her body. It had been the most indescribable, life-altering experience of her life. She'd been afraid. Not of Mick, she'd never be afraid of Mick. But she'd been terrified that she was too late, that he was too far gone and she'd have found him alive only to lose him again. She'd thought it would hurt when his teeth slid into her skin but all she felt was a slight pulling, like he was pulling her inside of him until they became one. Until she could feel everything he was feeling.

It had been amazing, like a journey through the stars, and that had scared her. Almost from the first, she'd felt a connection to Mick St. John that she couldn't even begin to explain. And then, in their shared heartbeat, a part of her had wished he would turn her. It would have been so easy to let him, so easy that she hadn't been able to stop him. It was Mick who had pulled away, drawing a small whimper of protest from her. He had looked up at her with his beautiful blue-green eyes again and she'd had the feeling he had heard her thoughts.

She shook her head, trying to dislodge the memory. It was late and she needed to get home. She'd spent long enough standing there lost in thought, something she found herself doing a lot more often these days. She packed up her laptop and grabbed her keys, all the while wondering if she should stop by Mick's again. She carried on a silent argument with herself as she walked to her car, even though she knew it was pointless. She'd stop, just as she had every night this week, and hope he was finally ready to open the door.

She was so lost in her ruminations that she almost missed the click of shoes on pavement coming from behind her. She didn't think, didn't turn around. She exploded with a burst of speed, going on instinct. She heard the person speed up behind her and felt a hand brush her back. It twisted in her jacket, almost yanking her back but she gave one last lunge towards her car and broke free, hitting the automatic lock just as she reached the door handle.

She dove inside and quickly closed and locked the door behind her. She saw the shadow close in as she fumbled with her keys, missing he ignition a few times before finally getting it started. She pealed out, not bothering to look behind her. All she knew was that she needed to get somewhere safe, and she needed to get there now. She didn't think about where she was going. She just drove.

Luckily, the streets weren't busy this time of night and she never had to slow down. She kept looking for lights in her rearview mirror, sure that whoever had chased her would suddenly appear, but there were none. She had almost reached her destination when a new thought struck her. What if they were waiting for her? What if they grabbed her as soon as she got out of the car? She hastily parked, still not sure what she should do. Then she spotted another shadow stepping away from the building.

* * *

Mick was watching Beth's latest report, as he did every night, when he got the feeling something was wrong. He felt fear, and it was close. There was only one person he'd ever felt like that. _Beth_. He ran out the door without even bothering to put shoes on. He went to the stairwell, leaping over the railing and landing on his feet three floors down. He hurried outside, trying to decide which way to go. She was close. He could feel it. 

He sniffed the air, catching a whiff of the smell that was uniquely Beth. That's when he spotted her car, parked right in front of his building. He stalked forward, praying she was inside and that everything was okay.

Beth saw the shadow moving forward. Her heart froze for half a heartbeat before she recognized Mick. She still couldn't see his face, but she knew. She flung her door open and he was there.

"Mick," she meant to yell but it came out as a whisper. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her head on his shoulder. She needed to tell him what happened and they needed to get inside, but all she could do was hold on to him.

Mick wasn't sure what had happened but Beth was terrified. He could hear her heart fluttering rapidly and feel the slight tremble in her body. He offered the only comfort he could, holding her tighter and whispering, "Shh, it's me. You're safe."

"What happened?" Mick softly growled, angry that anyone would dare to attack Beth. He kept an eye on their surroundings while trying to ignore Beth's soft skin against his neck.

"Someone was waiting for me…chased me." Her warm breath heated his skin and only Mick's vampire hearing allowed him to make out her muffled reply. She felt him stiffen then, in one swift motion, she was in his arms.

He nudged her car door shut and used his vamp speed to hurry her inside. His eyes were alert for the slightest sign of danger, but hers were locked on him. She stared up in wonder, amazed by his speed and strength and tenderness. He was prepared for attack and moving at superhuman speed, yet his hold was gentle and he was careful not to jostle her.

Somehow, they'd made it up the steps without her noticing and were inside his apartment before she knew it. She suddenly felt light-headed, almost like she'd just given blood. She didn't know whether it was from the fear and adrenaline rush or the ride on Mick's Vampire Express scrambling her senses, but she was grateful Mick didn't immediately set her down.

Instead, he stopped in the middle of the apartment and finally looked down at her. Her eyes were slightly glazed, which worried him. She was afraid, that much he knew, but did all her fear come from being chased? Or was she afraid of him too?

How could she not be? After all, she knew firsthand now what a monster he was. He frowned and quickly moved to set her on the couch, but she didn't let go. He looked up in shock and she could see the hopeful wonderment in his eyes. It reminded her of the first time she touched him, only now she understood his reaction. He wasn't used to human touch and still didn't think he was worthy of it, and that broke her heart.

He tried to move away again but she held on, keeping her arms locked around his neck and pulling him towards her. "Don't," she whispered and he immediately froze. They both knew he could easily get away if he wanted to. Just like the both knew he wouldn't.

Mick swallowed hard, already knowing he was fighting a losing battle. He wanted nothing more than to sit next to her and pull her into his lap, but he was a monster who had fed off her and he needed to remember that. Beth was scared now and he was the lesser of two evils. Being with him was preferable to being left alone, and it was nothing more than that.

Beth could see the hatred and self-doubt swirling in his eyes even as he tried to reassure her. "I'm not leaving you. I promise. You can let me go."

"No, I can't. I know you, Mick, and I think you're the one who needs to let go."

"I'm not the one holding on." He shoots back with a sarcastic smirk even though he knows exactly what she's getting at. Josef had told him pretty much the same thing only a few weeks before, but that was before he'd fed on Beth. Everything had changed since then.

"You know that's not what I mean. You're the only one who thinks you're a monster, Mick. You need to let that go."

"I. _Fed_. Off. You." He draws it out, trying to make her understand. But she doesn't flinch and it's Mick who looks away, still ashamed of what he'd done. He continues more softly, his voice thick with emotions that are threatening to spill out, "Only a monster would do that."

"No! A monster would have killed Leni before he ever got that bad, or he never would have tried to help in the first place. You were _dying_ and you could still only think about saving others. I know you would never hurt me, and I know you never would have asked me to do that. I wanted to. I'd already thought I lost you once. I couldn't let that happen for real. I would have hated myself if I'd just sat back and watched you die, so you can't hate yourself for living."

Mick was silent, thinking about what she'd said. Maybe, by some miracle, she didn't see him as a monster, but that didn't change what he was. He was still a danger to her.

"Hey," Beth scolded, seeing the way his thoughts were going. "You're a good man, Mick St. John. Being a vampire doesn't change that. It only changes your appetite." With that said, she let him go. He slowly stood but she gently touched his hand before he could move away, and that small touch was enough to stop him in his tracks. Instead of moving away from her, he found himself sitting next to her. He knew it wasn't right, but then she smiled and he couldn't bring himself to care anymore.

Mick leaned back on the couch and Beth leaned into him as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He hadn't laid like this with a woman in more decades than he cared to count, but his arm still immediately tightened around her. It felt right, which was entirely wrong. Being around Beth could make him feel too much like a man instead of a monster, and he might start thinking it could work between them. To get his mind back on track, and off Beth, he forced himself to focus on why she was here in the first place.

"What happened tonight?"

"I was working late. I heard someone behind me on the way to my car, and I ran. Then they started running. I got to my car and took off." She shrugs, "That's pretty much it."

"Did you see who it was?"

Beth shakes her head. "I didn't look back. All I could think about was getting away, getting somewhere safe." She leans back to look at Mick so he can see the meaning behind her words. And he does.

_She shouldn't feel safe with me. It goes against every natural law and common sense. But the fact that she trusts me that much, that she'd run to me, means more to me than anything in my 85 years. It's one of the greatest gifts she could ever give me, but I don't deserve it. Still, I can't bring myself to tell her how wrong she is. Because, as much as I want to warn her away, I can't bear the thought of her seeing me as monster._

"You should go to bed. It's late and you've had a rough day. We're not going to figure this out tonight, unless you've had a slow week and only managed to tick off one person." That earned him a playful smile.

"This from the guy who's gotten stabbed, staked, and shot with poison bullets. And that's just the past month. Besides, I'm getting used to near death experiences and traumatic situations. I'd rather just stay here, like this." She snuggles closer, resting her head on his chest.

_So would I, but I can't say that._ He looks down at Beth, enjoying a warmth he'd forgotten existed. She looked so peaceful. _Then again, I can't deny her either._


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** This is not the kind of stuff I usually write so I really hope you guys enjoy. Please let me know what you think.

**Chapter 2**

For the first time in 55 years, Mick St. John woke to daybreak with a beautiful woman warming his side. He looked down at Beth, a slight smile lighting up his face. _Waking up like this, I feel like any normal man. Like being a vampire was just some crazy dream. I could get used to this. But then the 'morning' hunger hits and the fangs distend. The monster returns, reminding me why I can never be normal, why I can never let Beth get too close._

He quietly slides away from Beth, trying not to wake her. But she shifts with him, staying close even in sleep. She blinks awake and looks up, but he looks away.

"Mmm, good morning." Beth yawns as she stretches.

"Morning." Mick says, standing up without facing her. "I'll make you some coffee."

"Wait." Beth reaches out a hand to stop him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Mick shrugs nonchalantly, still carefully facing away.

"Then why won't you look at me." She gets up and tries to see Mick's face, but he easily evades her.

"Morning breath," he quips with his trademark sarcasm, but Beth is used to his tactics. She brings her hand up to softly caress the side of his face, but he still won't look at her. "Look at me," she quietly commands.

"Look, Beth, you don't understand." He tried to protest but it was too late. She came closer and used the slightest pressure on his cheek to turn his head, forcing him to face her. He could have stopped her. Hell, he outweighed her by at least a hundred pounds and could outmuscle her even without his vamp strength. But he was powerless against this one small woman.

He dropped his gaze, not wanting to see himself reflected as a monster in her eyes. He waited for her hand to drop, for her to take a step back. He felt her hand drift from his face and he held his breath, cursing the loss of contact even though he knew it was for the best. Then, he felt the gentle glide of her knuckles tracing his cheek and finally chanced a glance up. What he saw took his breath away. It was more than he deserved.

Mick tried to look away, but Beth was faster. She took his face in her hands and slowly leaned forward, noting the hint of fear glistening in his eyes. He wanted to turn, to pull away, but he was ensnared. And then it was too late. Her warm lips brushed his, softly, at first, then with greater urgency. Her tongue delved deeper, tracing his fangs. He shuddered and lost the battle with himself. He forgot about the fangs and gave in to the flood of sensation, feeling only her.

Beth wiggled against him, trying to get even closer. He groaned and pulled her flush against him before devouring her mouth again. He needed her. Now. Beyond thinking, Mick fumbled for the couch beside him. In one swift, superhuman move, he lifted Beth off her feet and lowered her to the couch, following her down without breaking their kiss.

He was so close already, but Beth needed more. She needed to feel more of his sweet skin against hers. She reached for the buttons on his Henley and yanked, thanking God for whoever had invented easy-access shirts.

Mick lifted his upper body away from Beth just enough to wrangle the shirt completely off, which forced their hips to grind into even deeper contact. They both groaned, and that sexy sound was almost enough to send Mick over the edge. They still had way too many clothes on.

Trembling like a teenager, his hand snaked underneath her shirt and brushed one perfect, lace-covered breast, sending a shiver through both of them. Even through the slight barrier, the sensation was too much. Beth arched against him, rolling her head to the side and bearing her neck in an unintentional invitation.

In a lust-induced haze, Mick savored the sight before him. He slowly leaned down to kiss that tender spot on her neck. He could hear the rush of blood just underneath her soft skin and felt his fangs lengthening even more, but he pushed those thoughts away. He gently sucked, filled by some primal need to mark her as his, and felt Beth writhe beneath him.

Mick gently scraped his fangs against her throat, drawing a shiver of excitement from Beth. She imagined his sharp teeth sliding in as he sank into her, and she felt her heartbeat quicken. But Mick tore himself away. Before she could whimper, his lips found hers again. His tongue darted out to lick her lips and she immediately parted them, welcoming him in. They dueled for superiority, each trying to drive the other more wild and exciting themselves even move in the process.

She felt his massive hands pushing up her shirt, exposing more skin to his heat-seeking hands. "Off." He growled, breaking the kiss just long enough to pull it over her head. He released her bra before she could blink, way faster than any human would be able to. One more reason vamps do it better.

He rocked her even closer, melding their bodies together to maximize the amazing feel of skin on skin. It was too much. It was not enough. He trailed his warm lips down her throat again, continuing down until he could draw one silky nipple into his mouth. Beth cried out in pleasurable agony as everything inside her coiled and tightened. He used his talented tongue to tantalize her, almost driving her over the edge.

For Mick, it was the sweetest form of self-torture. He was torn between wanting to draw out the pleasure and his raging need to be inside her. He hesitated for the barest moment, leaving Beth on the edge of something beautiful. But she was too close to wait. She thrust against him…and need won.

* * *

Somewhere in the back of his sluggish brain, he registered his business line ringing. He easily ignored it, concentrating all his attention and Beth and the amazing feel of her body beneath him. In the background, the machine clicked on and the frantic voice on the line stopped Beth and Mick in their tracks.

"Mick, it's Josh Lindsey. Something happened to Beth. There's a surveillance tape…She didn't come home. We have to find her."

_Damn. Smooth, St. John._

Mick lowered his head to her shoulder, hiding his face in her neck and trying to catch his breath. Beth's arms tightened around him even as her mind spun at the sudden loss of his sensual assault. She felt feverish, like she was going to burn up if she didn't get more of him soon. Then, it hit her. She'd almost slept with Mick St. John!

He still felt so good draped across her like the warm weight of a comforting blanket, but she wanted more. She wanted it all. Why couldn't Josh have waited 10 minutes? And why did they have to stop?

She mentally shook herself. God, she didn't know what was wrong with her. Just making out with Mick had been a hundred times hotter than any sex she'd ever had. So maybe it was a good thing they'd stopped.

She was still trying to convince herself of that when Mick slowly slid his hands from her body and she had to bite her lip to keep from crying out. He placed his hands on the couch and started to push himself up, but Beth kept her arms locked around him. He raised his head until his face hovered the barest inch above hers.

Beth couldn't resist reaching up to softly place a kiss on his lips. She pulled away and reveled in the wonderment etched in his expressive eyes. Even after all they'd done, he was still amazed by her every touch.

He dropped his forehead to rest against hers, knowing he needed to move but not wanting to. He breathed her name, but she quickly showed him a better use for his lips. They kept things light and slow this time and Beth pulled away after only a few seconds, leaving Mick to try and recover. He grasped for his rational thoughts, his good intentions. _Josh_, his brain shouted, but Beth lifted a finger to his mouth.

"Shh," she idly traced his lips, thoroughly distracting him. He fought the urge to flick out his tongue and draw her finger into his mouth. "Let's just stay like this."

"But Jo…" He started only to be silenced by her soft finger again.

"Please. Just one minute." She knew it was wrong and she knew that Josh was worried. But if they moved, the moment would be over and she might never get to feel like this again. So yeah, it was selfish, but it was worth it when she felt him relax against her.

_This is a bad idea. It could never work between us. I should be strong enough to walk away and send her back to Josh, but let's face it…I've never been strong when it comes to Beth. I know that I can only hurt her, __**will**__ only hurt her, but I can give her this. This one moment of perfection. One minute to last me an eternity. _


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Thank you for all the great comments. You guys rock!

Remember: Mick's voiceovers are in _italics_

**Chapter 3**

"We should get up." Mick finally managed to say five minutes later. He half hoped Beth would say no, but she knew that he was right. They'd hid from the world too long already.

Beth stayed silent as Mick raised his body away from her, instantly feeling a coldness settle deep in her bones. He held out a hand to help her to her feet, and even that small touch sizzled between them like an electric shock. Big mistakeHe couldn't make himself let go. She was looking up at him, unable to pull away and not even wanting to. His tongue darted out to wet his lips and her gaze followed, feeling the lick deep inside her soul.

Mick saw the desire ignite again in her eyes and knew he was a goner. He gulped and saw her gaze zero in on his throat, watching his strong muscles work. _I'll never survive. Give me fire, give me pitchfork wielding mobs…anything but this._

He swallowed again, wondering why his mouth was suddenly so dry, and tried to speak. _But what do you say to the woman you lo…to the woman you can't have after the hottest kind of almost-sex-on-a-couch?_

"You should go…I mean, there's a shower. Upstairs." He points up with his free hand. _Like she needs directions. _He takes a deep breath and tries again, hoping he won't sound 15 this time. "If you want to get a quick shower, I can have the coffee ready for when you're done. And then we can talk…about last night."

Beth nodded numbly. Not exactly what she wanted to hear, but he was awfully cute when he stammered so she guessed it was ok. Besides, her thoughts had scattered the second he said shower. She imagined them together, all naked skin and glistening wetness. She wondered if he'd be up for it. Well…she already knew he was up for it, but he'd never go for it. He was working that tortured noble look for all it was worth right now. Unless…she took the choice away from him and dragged him up the stairs.

Now there was an idea that made her smile. He'd try to stop her and tell her why they shouldn't, but he wouldn't fight her. He wanted it as much as she did, and he'd never risk hurting her. She was ready to live out her fantasy but he must have read her mind because he took a step back, putting some much needed, and much hated, space between them.

He nodded towards the steps but he still couldn't make himself let go of her hand. Finally, Beth took pity on him and his deer in the headlights look. She was willing to put the x-rated shower on hold, at least for a little bit, because the sooner she showered, the sooner she and Mick could talk. And not just about last night, like Mick had carefully amended. She was going to get answers, even if she had to corner her vampire to do it.

Mick watched her walk to the stairs, not quite sure what had just happened. He should be relieved that she'd been strong enough to walk away when he couldn't even let go of her hand, but he wasn't. He was desperate. Desperate for Beth. Desperate for a way out. Desperate to do the right thing. Too bad he was having trouble remembering what the right thing was anymore.

Without even thinking, he found himself at the bottom of the stairs with one hand poised on the railing ready to bound up after her. He fought with himself for half a second before taking a tentative step. He should make sure she found everything okay, or so he told himself.

Then he heard the shower turn on and the image of her creamy skin beneath the cascading water rose unbidden to his brain, stopping him in his tracks.

"Coffee," he reminded himself as he dragged himself away from temptation. "Coffee, and a trip to the freezer."

* * *

Mick started the coffee pot and walked over to his secret fridge. He rebelled at the idea of feeding now but it had to be done, and he'd hate it even more if Beth saw him doing it. "Not like she hasn't seen you feed before," the voice in his head reminded him, but he shook the thought away and reached for a blood bag. He downed it quickly, barely tasting the coppery cold liquid as it slid down his throat. He cocked his head, listening to every nuance of noise from upstairs. He could hear each drop of water hit Beth's skin and mentally traced its path down her body.

Upstairs, Beth was enjoying the secret thrill of being in Mick's shower. His scent was all around her, toying with her senses. She could easily picture him here every night, still half asleep as the water pounded against his magnificent body.

She grabbed his soap, excited to carry a bit of his scent with her even though she knew it'd play hell with her senses all day. She lathered up and imagined it was Mick's hands on her body. She wanted to be able to lean back against him, their already heated skin melding together as the steam billowed around them.

She opened her mouth on a silent moan, but she knew her fantasies wouldn't even come close to reality. Damn Josh for calling! And damn Mick for his superhuman willpower and inflated sense of nobility.

Okay, she amended, never damn Mick. His continued nobility was actually sweet, in a totally frustrating kind of way. And Josh was her own fault. Why hadn't she broken up with him when she'd felt such an intense, instant attraction to Mick? And she definitely should have ended it after the desert when Josh's touch started making her skin crawl. Now, though, she knew what she had to do.

Beth turned off the water, filled with new resolve and anxious to get back to Mick. She quickly toweled off and briefly wondered what he would do if she came down in nothing but a towel. She'd love to see the look on his face, but that wouldn't be fair. Unless he tried to act like nothing had happened between them, then the clothes were coming off.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Thanks for all the great comments! I'm not too happy with the first part...blame writer's block. Hopefully the end makes up for it...and undoes some of the evilness of episode 9.

**Chapter 4**

The coffee pot dinged, startling Mick from his reverie. _Damn._ He'd almost sworn he was in the shower with her, close enough to feel her heated skin against his. He'd never gotten so lost that he'd completely forgotten the world around him, not even with Coraline. He'd never wanted to feel that level of intensity again, but it was different with Beth. Sure, it was hotter, faster, and definitely more intense, but it was also infinitely more tender. There was no denying he'd wanted Coraline, but he wanted Beth on an entirely different level.

Yes, he was going crazy with his need to be inside her, but he also wanted to be let inside her soul and protect her from the world. There was some kind of unquantifiable connection between them and it scared the hell out of him. She kept him off balance, like he was continually tumbling down a mountain with no idea which way was up.

If Coraline had been a fever, a disease that had almost destroyed him, than Beth was the emotional spark that had made his undead heart beat again. She made him feel, just for a moment, like he might actually be worthy of love. And that was dangerous, for both of them. He had to stop it now, while he still could.

That meant no more soul kisses or lingering touches. Hell, he was keeping at least six feet between them at all times. Six feet and a couch. His mind immediately flashed back to their half naked couch-capades and he softly groaned. _Damn. Forget the couch. It's a table. Tables are safe. I'm keeping a table between us._

The couch in his mind dissolved, leaving a table in its place. He breathed a sigh of relief until he pictured Beth draped across the table, her open legs beckoning him home. He heard Beth's bare feet on the top step and tried to slam the door on those thoughts before he embarrassed himself. _Too late._

Mick turned to the counter to pour Beth a cup of coffee, and to hide his quickly rising state, when he realized he still held the empty blood bag. He heard Beth on the last step now and hurried behind the counter to the concealed trash can. He didn't want Beth to see it but, more than that, he wanted a barrier between them so he wouldn't do anything stupid...like take her back to the shower.

* * *

"Hey," Beth said huskily as she rounded the corner. Mick was leaning with both hands on the counter, which made his biceps bulge nicely. He still hadn't put a shirt on, and she was definitely enjoying the view. There was something about a half-dressed man in a kitchen that was hot…or maybe it was just something about Mick.

"Hey, there's coffee on the counter." Mick tried to act unaffected but her scent had hit him before she'd made it down the stairs. There was just the slightest hint of his soap on her skin, and it made those primal urges he fought so hard to control bubble up to the surface.

Beth smiled. _"So this is how he wants to play it,"_ she thought and mentally shook her head. That wasn't going to work for her. She poured herself a cup of coffee and started towards him. She felt a secret thrill deep inside when she saw his eyes widen as she rounded the counter and slipped closer, resting her hip against the counter right next to his arm.

His gaze dropped to her hip, so close but not touching, and he had to swallow past the sudden lump in his throat. _I thought it was her touch that drove me crazy, but being this close and not touching her is even worse._

It took a lot of effort but he dragged his mind back to the task at hand. "I was thinking about last night" _and how amazing you felt in my arms._ "I'm going to need a list of all your stories, starting with the most recent. The timing probably isn't a coincidence so it should help us narrow down the list of suspects."

"_Us_. You mean you're not going to tell me to stay behind this time?"

"This is different. You're already in danger this time. Keeping you from the investigation isn't going to change that. So the best way to protect you is to keep you close."

"Close, huh? How close?" She slid closer until her hip brushed his arm and he jerked like he'd been touched by fire. He quickly backed up until he bumped into the counter behind him.

"I, um, I didn't mean…" He stammered as she moved closer, trapping him between her and the counter.

"Shh," she placed a finger to his lips. "I know."

Beth pressed her body more firmly against his. Mick felt his entire body clench, but he didn't move otherwise. She leaned up to capture his lips, slipping her tongue past his defenses. He felt her tongue touch his and his resolve crumbled. He gave in, wrapping his arms around her waist and dragging her even closer.

He told himself he'd pull away in a second, that one kiss couldn't hurt. But he lied, because her kiss was slowly killing him. There were a million reasons they should stop but he couldn't think of a single one while her lips were eating him alive.

Then he remembered how sweet her blood had tasted on his tongue, the same tongue that had just slipped past her lips. _I don't deserve this_, he thought as he fought for a little bit of control before he self-combusted and took her against the counter.

"We should…" Mick tried when they broke apart to breathe, but Beth interrupted with a kiss. She kept it quick and leaned against him, resting her cheek against his so she could whisper in his ear.

"I know, Mick. You don't have to say anything. I understand. We'll take it slow, I promise. I just couldn't go another minute without touching you." She brought her hand to rest over his undead heart, feeling his bare chest rise and fall as they both fought to catch their breath.

"Actually," Mick whispered in her ear a moment later, his cool breath sending a shiver up her spine. "I was going to say we should go upstairs."


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks, as always, to my wonderful reviewers. And remember that Mick's voiceovers are in _italics_.

**Chapter 5**

"Are you serious?!" Beth jerked back, staring up at him in surprise.

"I was. But you're right, we should take this slow." Mick smiled and gently kissed her cheek, using his hands on her hips to urge her further away.

"Forget what I said. We should take this fast and hard, right now! Where's that bedroom?" She snagged his hand and tried to drag him towards the stairs, but Mick wasn't budging. She reached the end of their outstretched arms and he tugged her back into his embrace.

She squirmed against him and he bit down the urge to grind against her. "Relax. We're not going anywhere."

_I've thought about a situation like this a thousand times. I've dreamt up every possible reason or excuse that might allow us to be together, even though there's a million more reasons we could never work. Now comes the hard part. I want more than anything to give us a chance, but Beth deserves more than that. At the very least, she deserves to walk into a relationship with her eyes wide open, which means I have to let her in to a world I never wanted her to see. I have to let her know what she's getting herself into so she can make the choice, not be swept up by passion or some white-knight fantasy. That means keeping my hands, and lips, to myself._

"I'll make you a deal." _As soon as you stop rubbing against me_. He clamped his arms around her tighter in a vain attempt at self-preservation. It stilled her movements but her body pressed so intimately against his was still one hell of a distraction. "Listen, you were right. You're a human and I'm a vampire. We can't rush into this. But if you really think you might want this…want _me_…then there are some things you need to know. Okay?"

Her answer was to roll her hips against his pelvis. He moaned and thrust against her, unable to stop himself. "You really have to ask?"

"Be sure," he growled, closing his eyes and letting his head fall back in agonizing pleasure.

Beth went on her tiptoes to better align their bodies but Mick stayed frozen, his teeth digging into his bottom lip deep enough to draw a faint line of blood. On impulse, she leaned forward and scraped her blunt teeth across his neck. His gut clenched, his body spasmed. His eyes flew open as he grasped the ragged edge of his control, instinctively thrusting Beth away from him.

She looked at him in shock, suddenly finding herself a foot away while he stared up at the ceiling and gulped air like he was suffocating.

"Mick?"

"Don't." His voice was harsh, but he couldn't help it. _Deep breath. Damn, that was close. And it's exactly why she needs to know what she's getting into. _He waited another minute to face her, breathing deeply until he had himself mostly under control. "Sorry."

"For what?" Beth tentatively touched his hand, lacing their fingers together when he didn't pull away. Whatever had just happened, she wanted him to know it was okay.

He shrugged, trying for a calm he didn't feel. "For letting it go too far."

"Mick," she started to admonish him, to tell him it wasn't his fault and there was nothing to apologize for, but he ran his thumb across her lips and stole her words.

"Shh, I didn't mean it like that. I'm not sorry it happened, I'm just sorry I didn't prepare you for it. It's one of the things I want you to know before you decide if you want to be with me."

"I want to be with you." Beth quickly interrupted and he smiled at the stubbornness in her voice.

"I know that, and I want to be with you." He admitted, and it felt good to finally say it out loud. "But I'm still a vampire. It won't be easy or normal, and you need to understand that."

"I don't care if it's normal. I only care if it's with you." She took a step closer and he wrapped his arms around her, burying his head in her hair. She was so much more than he deserved.

"I just want you to be safe." He softly confessed. His biggest fear was and always had been that he'd hurt her.

"I will be safe. I'll be with you." She reassured him, but her unwavering trust in him was like a dagger through his heart. He was a monster. She shouldn't feel safe with him. There was always the chance he'd lose control and she needed to understand that, but it killed him to be the one to tell her.

"Like I said, there are things you need to know about vampires." He slowly warmed up to the topic, still trying to figure out how to explain things. "Biting for vamps triggers certain…_responses_."

"I get it," Beth smiled. "It sends you over the edge."

"Several edges, actually. Biting is more primal. It's definitely a turn on but it can also bring the vamp closer to the surface. I wasn't expecting it and I almost lost control."

"And that would be a bad thing? It's okay to let go sometimes."

"Not for me. If I let go, I could lose myself in my inner vamp and hurt you." He waited for her to pull away but she squeezed him tighter.

"I trust you, more than anyone I've ever known. I know you'd never hurt me. You'd never hurt anyone who didn't deserve it."

There wasn't anything he could say to that, so he ignored it. She hadn't seen him before, hadn't seen him at his worst. "I was thinking we could make a deal. While we figure out who chased you last night, we can get to know each other better. I can tell you all about vampires so you'll be prepared. I mean, if that's what you want."

"I want," Beth quickly agreed. Of course she wanted to get to know him better, and her inquisitive nature was thrilled by learning more about vamps. There was just one thing they had to clear up. "Now, about that bedroom…"

* * *

He chuckled at her tenacity. He loved it, but it was going to be the death of him. "Later." W_hen I'm not working on a hair trigger._ "For now, why don't you get started on that list of your stories?" 

"Fine," she pouted. "But only if I get to make a deal of my own."

He saw the mischievous gleam in her eye and was almost afraid to ask. "What kind of deal?"

"The kind where you don't get to wear a shirt," she smiled innocently and a laugh bubbled up from deep inside of him.

"Are you saying you like my chest?"

"Chest, abs, I like it all. And I think I deserve it after you dangled a bedroom in front of me."

"I don't think I mentioned a bedroom. _Upstairs_, yes, but you came up with bedroom all on your own."

"So you don't have a bedroom?" She raised her eyebrows questioningly, wondering just where vampires slept and what he'd planned to do with her upstairs.

"I didn't say that either." He smirked, pressing a quick kiss to her lips before leading her towards the living room. "Come on. You need to work on that list and I need to get dressed, or we'll never get any work done."

"Ruin my fun, why don't ya?" she muttered as they reached the couch. Mick took a step towards the stairs but she tugged him down for a proper kiss goodbye, even if he was only going upstairs. He pulled away a minute later, breathless once again and in dire need of a cold shower.

"Bye," she smiled sweetly as he backed towards the stairs, colliding with the railing. _Damn,_ the things this woman did to him, he thought, shaking his head as he took the steps two at a time.

* * *

Beth smiled as he disappeared up the stairs. She was still shocked he was willing to give them a chance. Shocked and ecstatic, even if it meant not seeing his bedroom today. There was just one thing she had to take care of first. 

She looked around for her purse and realized it was still in the car, so she grabbed Mick's phone off the end table. Good thing she had the number memorized, she thought ruefully as she dialed. She hated doing it like this but she wanted it out of the way before Mick came back downstairs, so there'd be nothing left between them and no reason for Mick to change his mind.

The voice on the other end picked up on the first ring and she felt a stab of guilt as she pictured him waiting anxiously by the phone. "Hi Josh."


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks again for all the reviews. You guys are great! I'm not as happy with this part, but I blame that on whiny Chicken Josh who reminds me of a 5 year old crying "but moooommy, the mean PI stole my girlfriend!" lol.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

"Beth! Thank God. Are you ok?" Josh fired at her quickly. He'd been thinking the worst after seeing the surveillance tape from the parking lot, especially with the way she'd been attracting trouble lately.

"I'm fine Josh, really." Beth sighed, "I'm sorry I worried you."

"I'm just glad you're alright. I saw that tape of you being chased and no one knew where you were. I even called that P.I. friend of yours."

"I know," Beth said softly, then quickly covered her mouth.

"What? Never mind, just tell me where you are and I'll come get you."

"No!" Beth said a little too quickly. "I mean, I'm safe where I am. I just called to let you know I'm okay, and because there's something I have to tell you." She took a deep breath, not sure how to tell him. It was probably better to just get it over with. Quick and painless, _yeah right_, she told herself. "Listen Josh, I know this isn't a good way to do this, but I don't know what else to do. I'm sorry, but I can't see you anymore."

Josh was silent for a moment. "Is someone making you do this?" He asked, thinking someone had grabbed Beth and was forcing her at gunpoint to end things with him so he wouldn't look for her. That had to be it. It was the only explanation.

"What? No! You know things between us haven't been great lately. I'm just freeing us both." _So I can play house with a sexy PI_, she mentally added.

"Don't worry Beth, I know this isn't you. I'm getting help. Just hang on." Josh gave up waiting for the elevator and hurried to the stairs. Whoever had Beth had seriously screwed up by making her call, not understanding that him and Beth loved each other. Or maybe Beth had orchestrated the call to let him know she was in trouble. That was his Beth, always thinking, he thought proudly. He wouldn't let her down.

"Listen to me!" Beth tried again to make him see reason, but he was annoying the heck out of her. What was it going to take to get it through his thick skull? "It's over! That's it. There's no conspiracy. No one has me. I just don't love you anymore. Can't you understand that?"

Someone pounded on the door and she heard it echo on the phone. She disconnected the call and tossed the phone at the couch, staring at the door in disbelief. _This can't be good_, she thought as she felt Mick come up behind her. She hadn't even heard him come downstairs, the reporter portion of her brain noted and she vowed to quiz him about his stealth habits later.

"I don't have to let him in." He whispered in her ear, being careful not to touch her. Despite what he'd said earlier about giving them a chance, a part of him still hated that she was giving up something normal for something dark and dangerous. He'd heard her conversation and wished he could have spared her, although he felt a little guilty about eavesdropping. He hadn't meant to, at least at first, but his ears were attuned to her voice. And now she'd have to suffer even more because of him.

"No, I have to deal with him." Beth turned towards him, offering him a small smile and placing a hand over his heart. "I just liked this belonging to us for awhile."

"This?" He quirked an eyebrow and smirked, making her laugh. "This will always belong to us." He pressed a quick kiss to her lips and told himself it would be enough to last him eternity if she made the smart choice and decided to leave with Josh.

He made his way to the door, looking back with his hand poised on the handle. Beth nodded and, with a deep breath, Mick opened the door. Josh was caught off guard with his fist hovering comically in midair for half a second before he strode in, talking at supersonic speed that reminded Mick of a whiny five year old.

"We have to save Beth! Someone has her and they made her call me to say she's ok but I know something's wron…" He froze in mid sentence when he saw Beth standing in the living room. "Beth?"

"I told you I was fine, see?" Beth was careful to keep her face and voice emotionless, but Mick could see the tightness in her body.

"What's going on here?" Josh looked from Beth to Mick and back again, going from worried to stunned to irate in two seconds flat. "I've been worrying about you all night and you've been here, with _him_."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The words were out of Beth's mouth before she could stop them and she hurried to add, "Forget it. It doesn't matter anymore. We're over, just leave."

"Not until you tell me what the hell happened last night? I saw the tape, Beth. Someone chased you yet I find you here, shacked up with this…this PI." He spat PI like it was a four letter word and Beth glanced at Mick, who was glaring at Josh with his arms crossed over his chest. He looked calm on the outside, but Beth could see the fire in his eyes and knew he was watching for Josh to make one wrong move. She needed to get Josh to leave. Now.

"Someone chased me and I came to Mick for help. End of story. You can go now." Beth shifted her gaze to Mick again, hoping she could let him know that it was a lot more than that. He looked up just long enough to catch her eye but she couldn't tell what he was thinking. Later, after Josh was gone, she'd make it up to him.

"Yeah, right. If you were in so much trouble, why didn't you call me? Why let me worry all night?"

"I already told you I'm sorry about that. What more can I say?"

"You can tell me why. Why you didn't come to me? Why you come here? Hell, for all we know, he orchestrated this whole thing to get you here."

"Get. Out." Beth growled through clenched teeth, barely containing her fury.

"I'm not leaving you alone with him."

"I said…" Beth took a step forward but Josh interrupted.

"Think about it, Beth. What do you really know about him?" He took a step closer with each word and Mick's muscles coiled, preparing for attack. "Just come home with me and you'll thank me for it later." He held out his hand and Beth took a step to the side, away from Josh and closer to Mick.

Josh reached out a hand to stop her and Mick moved. One second he was ten feet away, the next he was between them with his hand clenched around Josh's wrist.


	7. Chapter 7

A big thank you to all my reviewers! I don't think I'd ever get anything written without the kind words and gentle prodding, lol. I wrote this at 3 a.m. when I should have been writing a paper, so hopefully it's mistake-free and entertaining.

* * *

**Chapter 7**

"Wha…" Josh started, still trying to figure out how Mick had appeared in front of him. He tried to yank his arm away but Mick was too strong.

"Leave," Mick growled through tightly clenched teeth. "Now."

His voice left no room for arguments, but Josh was a lawyer and not used to listening to such warnings. "Get your hands off me! I'll leave when Beth comes with me." He tried to jerk free but Mick just squeezed tighter. He could snap Josh's arm with a flick of his wrist, no harder than swatting a fly, but Beth wouldn't like that. He roughly shoved Josh away, sending him stumbling towards the door.

Josh righted himself and stupidly started towards Mick again. Mick clenched his fists, itching to knock the young D.A. out, and took a step forward. Beth knew she had to do something before this went any further. She reached out, hooking a finger in Mick's belt loop just as he took another step forward. He felt the tiny tug and stopped, glancing questioningly at Beth.

She moved forward and Josh stopped too, watching as she walked closer. _This is it. She's choosing him_. Mick swallowed hard and tried to keep the hurt from his eyes, reminding himself it was probably for the best. He'd brought enough monsters into her life already.

He wasn't sure who was more surprised when she stepped around him and stopped, facing off with Josh. She reached back with her right hand and found Mick's hand, pulling him forward until his arm was wrapped around her waist. She placed his palm on her stomach with her small hand on top of his larger one, lacing her fingers through his to keep him there.

Josh stared, dumbfounded and unable to look away as she leaned into Mick. She slid her left hand back, searching for Mick's. He hesitantly reached forward, half expecting her to disappear any second. He slowly wrapped his arm around her and placed his hand on top of hers on her stomach. She put her left on top of his again, completing the circle.

"This is what I want." She said softly, as much for Mick's benefit as for Josh. "I'm sorry Josh, but you need to go now."

Still shocked by the sight in front of him, Josh didn't know what else to do. He turned and left, looking back one more time as he passed through the door and then wishing he hadn't. Beth was still locked in Mick's arms, resting the back of her head against his shoulder so she could look up at him. And Mick was looking down at her like she was the most precious gift in the world, his gaze slowly traveling from her face to their joined hands and back again.

* * *

Josh steamed in the elevator the entire ride down from Mick's floor. He'd known that PI was going to be trouble, but Beth had refused to listen. Now she thought she was leaving him! He'd just have to make her see the truth. By the time the elevator doors dinged open, Josh had a plan. He stalked off with a new purpose. Mick St. John wouldn't know what hit him.

* * *

Back in the apartment, Mick finally broke the silence. "Are you…" But Beth cut him off, whirling around in his arms. 

"I swear, if you ask me if I'm sure one more time, I _will_ stake you myself. Got it?"

Mick nodded, biting his lip to keep from smiling. He loved how fiery she got but the idea she could stake him was laughable. Beth saw the laughter in his eyes and tried to shove him but he caught her hands and held them to his chest, smiling down at her before turning serious.

"I didn't want to make you choose until you understood things. You had a great life before I came along and you deserved time to understand, to think things through. But now…" He trailed off, feeling guilty again. _She doesn't even know what she's giving up her life for. I didn't explain things, didn't want her to see the truth. And now it's too late. She won't have anything to go back to._

"Now, I have you." Beth finished for him. "If you'll let me in." She knew what she wanted and knew it was really Mick who needed time, but she didn't know how to make him see that.

Mick looked away. "We really should get started on the case. The sooner we figure it out, the sooner…"

"You can send me away?" Beth interrupted, pissed that he was trying to shut her out again.

That got Mick's attention again, but he wasn't sure what to say. She was right but he hadn't meant it that way. He gave up and resorted to a tactic he often used with Beth when he couldn't tell her the entire truth, but he couldn't lie to her either. He stared into her eyes, letting her see the truth there. "The sooner you'll be safe."

She glared at him and he relented. "I don't want to send you away, but I don't want you here because you have to be either."

"I don't _have_ to be here now."

"You do if you want to be safe."

"I'd be safe no matter what," Beth smiled at him. "Because I know you'd be close by. Even if I left, you'd follow me. You'd protect me."

Mick grimaced inwardly. Did she have to point out his lies? Yes, he'd follow her. She had no idea how long he'd followed her. And when she found out, she'd understand why they couldn't be together. He should tell her, right now. She could probably still catch Josh before it was too late, say she'd had a moment of insanity. He opened his mouth but she cut him off again.

"Besides, I chose to come here, remember? Come on." She moved to the couch with him dragging behind her. "I'll work on this all-important list while you fill me on life with a vampire."

He grasped the lifeline. He wasn't looking forward to telling her about vampire life but he hated the idea of telling her he was a stalker even more, so he pasted on a smile. "Sounds good, just let me grab my laptop for you." He dropped her hand and quickly escaped to the sanctity of his office, shutting the door Josh had left open on the way.

* * *

Mick came back carrying his laptop to find her already seated Indian style on the couch. His mind immediately conjured images of them on the same couch, their sweat mingling together as their bodies collided in a rhythm as old as time. He swallowed back a groan as he handed her the laptop, careful not to let their fingers touched. Already knowing a single touch would be enough to set him off. 

He needed space, the more the better, so he started towards the opposite chair. She grabbed his wrist before he could escape and he felt his body clench in response. It was just his wrist, damnit, not a vital part of his anatomy. There was nothing sexual about a wrist, he told himself. Unless it was Beth's wrist, or hand, or fingers...wrapped around him. _Shit_, he had to slam the door on that train of thought fast.

"Quit trying to keep distance between us. It doesn't work." Beth's voice brought him back to the present. She patted the couch next to her invitingly and he sat down without thinking. She smiled in triumph and he realized his mistake.

Beth knew she was driving him crazy. If she kissed him right now, he wouldn't be able to stop. It was beyond tempting, but she wanted him to make the first move. He needed to give into them, not just be a willing participant. That's not saying she wouldn't do what she could to move things along though.

AN: I was soooo tempted to have Mick kick Josh's ass, but I didn't want to get his blood all over the Fortress of Style (aka Mick's pad). Who knows, he might actually have a use later. :wink:


	8. Chapter 8

I've never written anything like this before so I hope you all enjoy. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! They're the boost I need to keep writing and posting. And a special thanks to **silvanelf **for all her support on a certain forum (as well as here) : D

**Warning: **this chapter is rated **M **or **R** for language and sexual situations.

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Beth started typing, pretending not to notice the room's rising temperature. "Start talking, St. John." She ordered after a moment of silence.

Mick swallowed hard, confusion clouding his vision. She wanted him to talk?! He cleared his throat, grasping for a topic and coming up with nothing that required clothes. "What do you want to know?"

Her smile widened and he belatedly remembered why you never gave a reporter an opening. Especially when that reporter was Beth.

"Hmm…" Beth feigned innocence as she pretended to think, and Mick knew he was in serious trouble. "How does it work? Between vampires and humans, I mean. Obviously, you still work." She slid her foot forward to stroke the top of his thigh and he stilled, not even daring to breathe. Part of him was screaming to pull away while the other part was begging to press into her, to get her touch where he needed it most.

Beth watched his eyes following the path of her foot as it trailed along his jean-clad thigh. "So, is everything normal or do vampires need…more?" She brushed her toe against the rise in his jeans and he shuddered.

He forced his mind to focus on her question and not her delicately distracting foot. "Um," he mumbled, his voice tight with arousal as he stalled for time so his sluggish brain could catch up. He pressed himself deeper into the couch, resisting the urge to thrust against her. He closed his eyes to block it out, but that just caused his already keen senses to heighten.

He could hear her bare foot softly scraping against the roughness of his jeans and feel the slight breeze created by her breathing. Her thudding heartbeat, always there in the background, moved to the front of his mind. He could hear the excitement pulsing through her veins and feel the heat radiating from deep inside her, matching the fire she'd ignited inside him.

"Mick?" She questioned, her sweet voice teasing his sensitive ears. Her foot stilled against his lap and he heard her set the laptop on the coffee table. He sensed her move closer and felt the slight dip in the cushion as she knelt next to him, but he stayed frozen both from the anticipation and the fear.

Beth placed a palm against his cheek and his eyes flew open, his smoky gaze locking on her brilliantly blue eyes. Their noses were almost touching. It wouldn't take much to close the space between them, but that would be wrong. He had to do the right thing for Beth, even if she didn't understand that now. He needed to move, to escape. He needed…

His thoughts trailed off when he saw her tongue dart out to wet her lips. His eyes immediately dropped to her mouth, watching almost in slow motion as her tongue traced her lips. Unconsciously, his own tongue slipped out to lick his lips, savoring the memory of her taste.

"Ah, fuck it!" He gave up with a rough curse and greedily took her mouth. His tongue delved between her lips, needing to taste her again with a hunger more fierce than any bloodlust.

Beth responded, kissing him back with just as much passion. Her hands moved to his neck, trying to pull him closer. That was all the encouragement Mick needed. Beth felt strong hands on her waist, lifting her up to straddle his hips.

She ran her fingers through his wavy hair, loving the feel of his long, soft strands and using it to urge him closer. Mick's hands slid up her body, tracing her outline through her shirt and driving her insane with his light caresses. He stopped at the swell of her breasts, running his thumbs along her bra line as he teased his tongue across her lips.

Beth rocked against him, rolling her head back on a moan when his thumb lightly stroked her nipple. Mick placed one hand against her back to support her, holding her close as he traced the creamy line of skin between her shirt and jeans. She spread her knees wider, opening herself to him more, and Mick moved forward. He shifted his hips for a better fit, groaning when Beth moved against him.

She sought out his lips again, taking control this time. She gently nibbled his bottom lip, feeling the shiver it sent through his body as he arched into her. She took his lip again, more firmly this time. And just like in the kitchen, the love bites flipped a switch. Mick moved faster than human eyes could follow, and Beth found herself crushed against his chest.

"Upstairs. Now." He growled breathlessly. He felt her nod against his chest but it wasn't enough. He needed to hear her say the words. "Tell me its okay."

"Yes. Now, Mick." Beth softly kissed his throat, reassuring his white-knight streak. "I need you now." He quickly stood, keeping Beth hugged tightly to his chest as he lifted her into his arms and hurried to the stairs.

* * *

It took them mere seconds to reach the bedroom and he had to admit that being a vampire did have its perks. If it had taken even a second longer to reach the bed, he might have taken her on the stairs…or against the wall. His mind rapidly conjured a dozen fantasies as he effortlessly tossed the comforter from the bed while keeping her safely tucked in his arms. He gently laid her down and stepped back to enjoy the view of her in his bed, even though he didn't sleep there. Every fantasy quickly evaporated, replaced by the image of her body spread against the deep blue sheets waiting for him to come home.

Beth reached out to him, slipping her fingers in the front of his jeans and tugging him closer by his belt buckle. He stopped at the edge of the bed next to her head and kneeled down, forcing her to release him. Mick stared down at her in awe of the breathtaking sight before him. He lightly ran his knuckles along her cheek, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"You are so beautiful." He whispered.

"So are you." She smiled, bringing her hand up to cup his face. He took her hand in his, pressing a kiss to her palm and trailing kisses down her arm until he reached her sleeve.

Mick moved to her mouth and joined her on the bed, slowly reigniting the fire in both of them. He slid his hands under her shirt, helping her sit up to take it off. He deftly released the clasp of her bra, sliding it off and tossing it into a nearby corner. He moved to her breast, gently sucking as her fingers raked across his back, tugging his shirt up. He had to lean back to pull it off, but Beth was back in his arms before his shirt had hit the floor.

* * *

Mick caught Beth's lips in another searing kiss as she climbed onto his lap, shifting closer until they were perfectly aligned. He cursed their half-dressed state, thinking how amazing it would feel to slide inside her now. He reached for the button on her jeans but she placed a hand on his shoulder, gently urging him down until his back touched the cool sheets. She followed him down, never breaking their kiss, then pulled back to admire his masculine perfection.

She traced the lines of his six-pack abs, teasing him with soft caresses before following the trail to his belt. He sucked in a deep breath as her fingers drifted lower, slowly tracing his fly and feeling his body flex beneath her touch. Unable to resist, she gently cupped him through his jeans and his hips immediately bucked, pressing himself more tightly into her palm.

"Beth," he rasped warningly, not sure he could take much more. It had been far too many years since he'd had a woman like this and he was on the ragged edge.

"Shh, I know." Beth smiled down at him as she brought her hands back to his belt, feeling the same burning need even though she hated to stop touching him. She'd be happy to spend an entire day just exploring his body…later. Now, she needed him.


	9. Chapter 9

Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews! Sorry this part took so long. This is my first attempt at writing a love scene so please let me know what you think.

Note: this chapter is rated R for sexual situations

* * *

**Chapter 9**

Beth reached for his belt buckle, fumbling for a moment before freeing him. Her hands moved to his zipper, carefully sliding it past his throbbing erection while letting her fingers softly skim his cotton boxer-briefs. He hissed when her hand snaked inside, gripping him without barriers and nearly sending him over the edge.

She squeezed him, loving how impressive and alive he felt in her hand, and his hips bucked off the mattress as he gave a rough groan.

"Beth," he warned but it came out sounding like a plea, and even he wasn't sure if he was asking her to stop or begging her not to.

She smiled and released him, hooking her fingers in the waistband of his boxers. She was dying to see all of him, but Mick was through messing around. He grabbed Beth's hips and flipped her under him, quickly covering her body with his and pinning her beneath him.

"My turn." He growled seductively in her ear, thrusting against her to emphasize his words.

Beth instantly responded, throwing her head back and arching into him. But Mick moved away, hovering just out of reach.

"I thought you wanted to play." Mick teased her, his voice rough with desire as he lightly circled her nipple. Her only answer was a frustrated moan. He could smell the arousal pouring off her body and feel each pulse of her heart increasing the gentle flush that was gracing her body. It amazed him how close she was already when he hadn't even gotten her pants off yet. Even as he felt that sense of male pride well up inside him, she writhed against him, reminding him that she wasn't the only one close to losing it.

He gave in, taking her mouth with more force than finesse and thrusting his tongue past her lips as his hands made quick work of her jeans. As soon as he released her zipper, he slid his hand down her stomach to the place where red lace met creamy skin. He paused, drawing out her anticipation and testing his own restraint before finally slipping his fingers beneath the last barrier. He trailed his fingers down to trace her silky folds, luxuriating in her welcoming wetness. She cried out when his fingers brushed her sensitive clit and he moved his mouth to her breast. Using his tongue, he teased her nipple, lightly caressing when she wanted to be sucked deep.

The dual assault was too much, but not enough. Beth moved mindlessly against him, seeking release, and Mick had to fight not to take her right then. But he wanted to worship her, to make her scream his name while they were still fairly clothed. He positioned one long, strong finger at her opening, wanting to feel every inch of her.

Beth's body tingled and tightened as she continued to move against him, silently begging for more. He kept her poised on the edge for half a heartbeat before gently biting her rosy nipple and thrusting his finger inside her at the same time.

She cried out as her body spasmed around him but Mick didn't stop. He continued to stroke her, pulling back just enough to take in the beautiful sight of her coming apart.

He stared in awe of the woman still writhing before him, giving him a gift he never thought he'd deserve again. But this one amazing woman had changed everything. Beth reached for him, dragging him down for a kiss as he felt her pleasure begin to subside. The kiss deepened instantly and he slowly withdrew his finger, giving her his tongue instead.

They were both breathing hard when they finally broke apart and Mick buried his face in her neck, pressing damp kisses along her collarbone and grasping for control so he could do this right. Beth ran her fingers through his hair, content to stay like this for as long as he needed. She could feel his breath gently caressing her skin, sending a tingle through her body. She'd never felt this alive, this sensitive before, but with Mick she'd always felt things deeper.

Mick finally felt enough in control to raise up so he could look at her again. She smiled up at him and he couldn't resist kissing her, soft and sweet this time. Time seemed to slow as the frenzied rush he'd felt earlier ebbed, replaced by a simple need to be closer to her, to love her.

He pulled away to remove the rest of her clothes, locking eyes with her as he skinned out of his own jeans and boxers. Finally, he stood before her in all his naked glory, drinking in the sight of her spread across his bed. Beth's own eyes greedily roamed his body and she reached out for him. He smiled as he moved back to the bed, settling himself over her and covering her lips with his.

Beth pulled him closer and he gently lowered himself down, breaking the kiss with a moan when their entire bodies touched for the first time. The feel of her hot skin under his almost shattered his control. He'd wanted to draw it out but there was no denying he needed her _now_.

He poised himself at her entrance and pulled back just enough to look into her eyes, feeling her love and acceptance wash over him. Still staring into her eyes, he slowly sank into her, joining them with one long thrust. Beth dug her fingers into his shoulder, arching to meet him.

Mick closed his eyes and clenched his teeth, his whole body rigid as he pulled back. He paused half a second before plunging back in, and Beth wrapped her legs around his waist to take him deeper. He bent to kiss her, swallowing her moan as their bodies settled into a gentle rhythm of give and take.

Beth felt her pleasure start to build and tore her mouth from his, throwing her head back on a moan, and Mick moved to kiss her newly exposed neck. He found a sensitive spot and sucked, causing her to cry out and move more wildly against him. He felt her squeezing him tighter, heard the blood rushing through her veins, and knew she was close. He opened his mouth on her throat and, completely lost in the incredible feel of her around him, felt his fangs distend.

Knowing what he needed but refusing to give in, he quickly turned away from her neck and buried his face in the pillow. But both his body and the vampire inside him were screaming for release, and his willpower was no match. He turned back, gently placing his fangs against her throat.

Mick paused to see if she'd stop him, but Beth barely registered the slight pressure. He was about to bite down when he felt her tighten around him, her body exploding on a wave of pleasure. He pulled back, not wanting to hurt her, and felt her climax tugging at him. He felt the pull deep inside and gave in, throwing his head back as he ground out his own release.

He collapsed against her as the last spasms wracked their bodies, their sweat-dampened skin melding together as the both tried to recover. When he finally came back to his senses, Mick realized he needed to move, but he wasn't sure he could. He was still tucked inside her but Beth didn't seem to mind. She was holding him close but still, he should get up.

He started to move but Beth's arms tightened around him. "Don't," she whispered. "I like this. I like being close to you."

Mick smiled and settled back over top of her, being careful to keep most of his weight off her. "I like it too." He kissed her forehead and wondered for the thousandth time in the past 24 hours how he'd gotten so lucky, because he sure as hell didn't deserve her.


	10. Chapter 10

Thanks for all your wonderful comments: D

Remember: This takes place after "Fever" so nothing after that has happened yet.

* * *

**Chapter 10**

Mick felt lethargy pulling at him but he fought it, half afraid to close his eyes and have everything disappear. The natural high of making love was fading, replaced by a calm he couldn't remember feeling before. Beth was still beneath him, totally boneless, and her soft, rhythmic breathing told him she was near sleep too.

Holding her closer, he gently rolled them over until Beth was comfortably resting on his chest. She snuggled closer but otherwise didn't stir, and Mick let out a content sigh. She felt good atop him, almost as good as she'd felt under him. Mick smiled at the memory and felt his body stir. He wondered how Beth would feel if he woke her up for round two.

Brushing a hair from her face, he'd just decided she looked too peaceful to wake when he heard the unmistakable click of his front door opening. _Shit. Not now. Please not now._ He tried to quietly slide out from under her but Beth tightened her hold.

"Where do you think you're going?" Beth mumbled, still half asleep and not ready to lose her pillow.

"Josef's here."

"What? Where?" Beth shrieked, reaching blindly beside her for something to cover up with. Finding nothing, she hugged herself more tightly to him and hid her head on his chest.

Despite the interruption, Mick chuckled, noting the beautiful red tint that was flushing her skin now. "Relax. He's downstairs. And that's where he'll stay if he knows what's good for him."

"Oh." Beth lifted up to smile at him, fresh embarrassment staining her cheeks. "Sorry. Who's Josef?"

"A friend. And a pain in the ass with really rotten timing."

"Is he…"

Mick smiled as she trailed off. "Yeah, he's a vamp."

"How do you know he's here?" He smiled and quirked an eyebrow at her. "Oh, right. Stupid question. Does that mean he knows we're up here, you and me…_together_?" Beth's eyes widened at the thought. She was an adult, more than old enough to be doing such things, but right now she felt more like a teenager who'd been busted by daddy.

She wasn't reassured when Mick nodded. "Probably, which means I should get down there before he decides to come up. Josef can have a…" he paused, fumbling for the right description, "twisted sense of humor sometimes."

He slid from the bed and reached for his jeans, trying to ignore the tempting picture before him. Damn, he hated Josef for dragging him away from this. "Let me get rid of him. You stay here. I'm not done with you yet." Not bothering with boxers, Mick finished pulling on his jeans, leaving them undone. He looked at Beth again and saw the mischievous glint in her eyes. "I mean it, Beth. Don't move. I want to find you right here, just like this, waiting for me when I get back. Okay? I promise I'll be quick, even if I have to throw him out."

Beth nodded and he leaned down for a quick kiss, which she immediately deepened. He let her pull him back down to the bed as the kiss quickly spiraled out of control, both of them forgetting everything but the moment. Beth's hands slid down his chiseled abs and lower, his unsnapped jeans proving no obstacle to her exploration.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Mick registered the slight creak of the stairs and pulled away from Beth with a harsh curse. Beth blinked at him, surprised by the sudden loss of contact. Breathing heavily, Mick jumped from the bed and backed away. He needed to put space between them before he lost himself again and got caught bare-assed. "Hold that thought, honey. I have to go kill Josef."

With that, he stalked out the door, closing it tightly behind him.

* * *

Mick came down the hall and found Josef waiting at the top of the stairs. When he spotted Mick, he pushed away from the wall he'd been leaning on. "Finally! I was wondering if I'd have to come in and get you. She must be…"

"Shut up, Josef." Mick cut him off, pushing him roughly towards the stairs. Josef didn't stumble. Instead, he laughed at his friend's obvious bad mood.

"Testy, testy," he tsked. "You really have been on bagged blood too long if this is what the real stuff does to you."

"I haven't had any 'real stuff.' This is all your winning personality. Now leave."

Josef smirked. "Ah, I see. I interrupted feeding time. Don't let me stop you." He gestured back down the hall.

Mick crossed his arms and let out an exasperated breath, realizing it wasn't going to be as easy to get rid of Josef as he wanted. "Is there some reason you're here or did you just want to annoy me?"

"Believe me, there was a reason. My perfect timing is just an unforeseeable bonus, although it certainly makes things more interesting."

Mick heard Beth stir in the bedroom and silently cursed her reporter's curiosity. He should have known she wouldn't stay put. Unless he hurried, she was going to come face to face with Josef, and that was the last thing he wanted. He looked down the hall, picturing her sliding naked from the bed to gather the clothes that were strewn around the room. Damn, he wanted to be in there for that.

He shook his head to clear it and noticed Josef also staring down the hall. Knowing where his own thoughts had gone, Mick didn't like it. He shoved Josef again, taking him off guard this time. Josef stumbled down the first two steps before bracing himself against the wall.

"What the hell was that for?"

"I saw you."

"Saw me what? I can't see through walls, Mick. I know Blondie's really gotten to you, that _is_ why I'm here, after all. But jeez, get a grip."

"First of all, her name is Beth. You know that. And what the hell do you mean she's why you're here? If you're going to tell me to take care of her again…" Josef held up a hand to stop him.

"Relax. I still think it's stupid to trust a human reporter but, hey, it's you're funeral. Just don't drag the rest of the tribe down with you." Mick opened his mouth to defend himself and Beth but Josef cut him off again. "Actually, I was coming here to help you…and her, if you can believe that. Ryder heard about her little disappearing act. I couldn't care less, of course, except it would be one less loose end for me to worry about if someone had whacked her. But then I remembered I'd have to deal with your brooding for another fifty years, so I dragged myself down here."

"Such a humanitarian. Thank you for your concern Josef, now leave."

"You could be a little more appreciative, you know. It's not like I want to be here. How was I supposed to know she was just enjoying a little vamp treat? That surveillance tape looked bad and we know she's got a knack for pissing people off, yours truly included. But if I'm bothering you so much…." Josef turned and strolled down the steps, leaving Mick staring after him. Mick heard the bedroom door open and made a split-second decision. Racing down the steps, he caught up with Josef at the bottom.

"Wait. You saw the tape?"

"Yeah. Ryder hacked in and, before you ask, he already made you a copy. There's not much to see though, just shadows. I have him working on enhancing it right now." Josef pulled the DVD from his jacket and handed it to a grateful Mick.

"Thanks, man." Mick scrubbed a hand over his face, looking suddenly tired as he walked Josef to the door. It didn't sound like the surveillance was going to be much help and he hated not knowing who was after Beth. He heard her nearing the stairs and knew he had to make this quick. "Look, can you do one more favor for me?"

Josef raised an eyebrow and muttered, "Jeez, you do one nice thing and people think you're Mother Theresa."

"Josef," Mick warned, annoyed again. "Just have Ryder keep his ears open, and see if he can find any connections to her past reports. Have him check into anyone who's been released from jail recently."

"You haven't done that yet? Some super-sleuth vamp P.I. you are." Josef smirked. "Don't get me wrong, I'm happy you're finally letting your inner vamp out to play a little. It's about damn time. Way past time, if you ask me." They reached the door and Josef stopped. "Actually, I think Blondie might be growing on me, although if you tell anyone, I'll deny it. I figure anyone who can get you to mainline twice in one month deserves a little respect. God knows I've been trying long enough."

"Yeah, about that," Mick darted a cautious glance towards the stairs, hearing Beth hit the top step. He hurried on, needing the older vamp's opinion but not wanting Beth to overhear. "I didn't drink from her. Not this time."

"Ah, so I really did interrupt." Josef smiled mischievously, delighting once more at his perfect timing.

"No. Well, yes, but that's not what I meant." Mick dropped his voice even lower. "I didn't need her blood, Josef."

"You mean…" Josef trailed off, staring at him in disbelief when he nodded. "But, that's impossible. Vampires have to bite. That's why we can't just pick up any human off the street. You know that."

"I know. It doesn't make sense, but I thought maybe you'd heard of it before. Maybe it was just a fluke but, either way, I have to know."

"So, try it again. It's the only way you'll know for sure." Josef knew Mick wouldn't like his suggestion, so he quickly continued. "Look, I can try to check into it discretely, but I doubt I'll come up with anything. It's not the kind of information that would get recorded."

Josef opened the door and paused, hearing Beth hit the bottom of the stairs. In a mere whisper, he laid out the truth he knew Mick would spend the next year hiding from if he could. "Whether you like it or not, this is something you're going to have to find out for yourself. If you're vamp enough." He left Mick standing in the doorway, a mix of anger and fear etched on his face, and Josef shook his head as he walked to the elevator. He only hoped that Beth could talk some sense into him, because he didn't want to deal with Mick-the-miserable-bastard again.


	11. Chapter 11

Thanks for all the reviews! Updates should be coming faster now that I'm back in class, cuz it's not like I have anything better to do while my profs droan on. Hope you guys like this chapter!

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**Chapter 11**

Beth rounded the corner and stopped in her tracks. Silhouetted in the doorway was Mick, one muscular arm braced against the frame, his dark jeans riding low on his naturally dark waist. She'd been hoping to catch Josef, but this was so much better.

Mick, still half stupefied by Josef's parting shot, heard Beth's heart rate speed up behind him and turned, providing her with a sight that most women would pay good money to see. She visually traced the deep, defining lines of his strong hips until they disappeared beneath the denim. He shifted slightly, trying not to notice the enticing sight she made wearing the white Henley he'd shed earlier. Searching for a reason to look away, he reached back to swing the door closed. The front of his jeans parted as he moved, just enough to tantalize her with a glimpse of bare skin. One gentle tug was all it would take to send them to the floor and her fingers were itching with excitement.

Mick saw the lust flare in her eyes and felt the answering heat rise inside himself, but he tramped down on it. Clearing his throat, the held up the DVD to get Beth's attention back on his upper half.

"Josef thought we might want to see this. It's the surveillance from the parking lot." He saw Beth's gaze dip lower again and felt certain parts of his anatomy begin to come to life. Actually, he'd been half hard since he'd left her eagerly waiting on the bed, but he was about to remedy the 'half' part. He gulped, suddenly feeling very exposed and in need of some serious cover. "Just, um, let me get dressed and we can take a look at it."

In an act of self-preservation, Mick darted past Beth and was halfway up the stairs before she could register he'd moved. Beth was left staring after him, trying to figure out what had just happened. Not ten minutes before, he'd been ready to ravish her, but just now he'd run from her like she had silver in her touch. It didn't make sense…or maybe it did.

After all, she reasoned, Mick had an inherent protective streak that was even worse when it came to her. The reminder of the threat against her brought out his cute knight-in-shining-armor complex. That's all it was, she reassured herself. She'd just have to loosen him up again. Beth grinned wickedly and looked to the couch, already imagining the possibilities. As soon as Mick was dressed, she was going to have a lot of fun undressing him again.

* * *

Mick took an extra minute to get himself under control but was afraid to linger too long. He pulled on a black Henley with one hand and reached for a belt, all while keeping an ear cocked for Beth. Hearing her soft footsteps downstairs, he cringed and pictured her walking towards the stairs. He glanced at the bed, knowing that seeing her anywhere near it would probably shatter his control.

The scene played out easily in his mind's eye. The slow turn of the doorknob. Beth's scent washing over him, growing stronger as she approached him from behind. Smooth hands wrapped around his waist, sliding under his shirt. He wouldn't move, wouldn't dare breathe as she raised his shirt higher, exposing more of his skin to her feverish touch. For a fleeting moment, she'd brush against his back, the hint of skin on skin provoking him. He'd turn, finding her already naked and ready. Knowing she'd stripped before coming to him, thinking of his reaction as she shed her clothes, would be more than he could handle.

He'd take her, rough and fast against the wall. She'd welcome him, matching his thrusts. And as she cried out, he'd sink his fangs into her supple neck and drink her down. Mouthful after mouthful of her sweet blood would fill his veins, giving him strength. It would be so good, so powerful, that he'd never want to stop.

That fast, Mick's dream dissolved, replaced by an icy fist around his heart. Scrubbing a hand over his face, he tried to erase the haunting image from his mind but couldn't shake it. _Maybe it's for the best. I want to be her savior but I can only be her downfall, her disaster. Beth will never be safe around me, because monsters can't be trusted. I already risked her life once today, for nothing more than my own satisfaction. I won't do that again. We __can't__ do that again._

He heard Beth enter the kitchen and breathed a sigh of relief when he realized she was just getting a drink, not coming upstairs to have her way with his body. He quickly finished fastening his belt and took one last deep, steadying breath before facing his frustrating fate. As he left the bedroom he vowed to himself that this time he meant it. He _would_ keep his hands, and all other body parts, to himself.

* * *

Beth smiled when she heard Mick's heavy footfalls on the stairs. She'd been starting to wonder what he'd been doing up there. A huge part of her was tempted to tease him for taking longer to get ready than a girl, but she wasn't sure if there was some sort of vamp reason for the extra time. She didn't want to stumble into one of his vamp hang-ups so she decided to leave it alone…for now.

Setting her coffee cup in the sink, she started towards the stairs, appearing at the bottom just as Mick reached the middle step. She had him completely trapped, right where she wanted him, unless he jumped over the railing. His step faltered and he slowed but didn't stop as he briefly considered the idea.

But it was too late. While he was considering, he'd let himself get within arm's reach. Beth pulled him down the last three steps until he was in her arms.

"Hey," her husky welcome sent a dangerous tingle through his spine, and her full body press wasn't helping matters. He willed himself not to respond, not to wrap her in his arms and return her warm embrace. It was impossibly hard, but the vision of his worst nightmare strengthened his resolve.

"What's wro…" Beth started to question when Mick shrugged out of her embrace, but he flashed the security disk like a shield, which it was.

"We really should check this out now." He cut her off, not wanting to have this discussion now. It was a lame excuse said without conviction, but Mick still saw the hurt and confusion flash in her eyes before he brushed past her. _Better to hurt her now than kill her later_, he tried to justify, but it didn't ease the guilt bubbling inside him.

After a beat of silence, Beth followed close behind him. Though she might as well have been on another continent with the way Mick was treating her. For the first time in all the months since she'd found out he was a vampire, Mick felt dead to her.

* * *

Mick grabbed his laptop off the coffee table as he dropped to the couch. He popped the disc in and almost dropped the computer when he felt the couch dip and Beth's thigh brush his leg.

The computer whirred to life and Mick forced himself to focus, watching as images of her attack filled the screen. There was nothing but an empty parking lot for the first few seconds, then Beth appeared in the frame, completely unaware of the dark figure that had stepped out from the shadows. Beside him on the couch, Beth shivered and slid closer to Mick.

He slipped an arm around her without looking up, wanting to offer comfort but afraid he'd miss something important, some tiny nuance that could identify the attacker. But there was nothing. He felt the familiar inferno of anger clench around his heart, making his chest tight with unreleased rage, but he held it in and kept his eternally cool façade in place.

Beth remained silent beside him and he idly allowed his hand to roam her back. Internally, he cursed the shadows that kept her attacker safe…at least for now. _The tape tells us nothing, except the guy we're looking for is around 6'2." That really narrows it down. Hell, with that description, it could even be me._

The clip ended and Beth turned to Mick, resolve hardening her features even though her unshed tears were plain to see. Watching the attack unfold had been harder than she thought it would and she'd started to feel the same fear and panic grip her, but Mick had been right beside her radiating strength and safety. His hand on her back had steadied her and she was thankful for that, thankful for him. More than anything, she hated appearing weak and being forced to lean on others, but Mick made it ok. Even as he was pulling away from her.

But now wasn't the time to dwell on Mick's newfound distance. He wasn't exactly reasonable when he was in major protection mode...not that he was all that open to idea normally. Beth quelled the urge to shake him and tried a more lighthearted approach. "So, did that super Vamp sense of yours tell us who the bad guy is?"

"It doesn't work like that. I need to be there, at the scene." _I should have done that last night but I wasn't thinking clearly. One more thing to add to my long list of screw-ups. _He stood and Beth jumped to her feet beside him.

"Where are you going?"

"The crime scene." He couldn't believe he was calling it that, like it was just some normal, faceless scene. "Ryder might get lucky cleaning up the footage but I don't like waiting. Use my computer to pull up pictures for all your stories and hopefully I'll be able to pick someone out when I get back. If we're lucky, this will all be over by dinner."

"Don't tell me you're sick of me already?" Beth tried to joke, but she was half-afraid it was the truth.

"I just don't like the idea of somebody after you. I want to find this guy." _And take out some of this frustration by ripping his head off._ "Stay inside and keep the doors locked until I get back. The security system is state of the art so you should be safe here."

"I know I'll be safe, because I'm coming with you."

"No."

"Yes."

"Beth." Mick let out an exasperated sigh, wondering why she always had to be so difficult.

"What?" Beth shot him an innocent look but ruined it the effect when the corners of her mouth twitched up. He was cute when he got all intense and annoyed. "Really Mick, we've been over this. I _don't_ wait in the car. As for being safe in your apartment, didn't Lee Jay manage to break in?"

She shot him a smug look and he had to admit she had a point. He relented with a slight nod and was rewarded with a smile. She loved it when he saw things her way.

"See, I'm much safer if I stick with you. Just give me two minutes to get ready." She hurried past him to the stairs, not seeing the look of horror plastered on his face. Her last words, full of so much unwavering trust, had terrified him. It was more than he deserved. He just prayed he didn't let her down.


	12. Chapter 12

Thanks a lot for all your great reviews! I had a bit of a different plan for this chapter but Beth and Mick had their own ideas. (Hey, you try controlling a frustrated vamp and headstrong reporter! It ain't easy, folks. lol) Hope you like it!

* * *

**Chapter 12**

The ride to BuzzWire was completely silent except for the radio Mick had flipped on as soon as they entered the car. Beth was dying to ask him what was wrong but it was clear he didn't want to talk, so she passed the time by surreptitiously glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. Finally, they arrived at the parking lot and Mick, holding up a hand to shield himself from the harsh afternoon sun, hurried to her side of the car. _You have to love those old school manners_, she thought as he opened the door for her and offered his hand. _What a difference fifty years makes. _

She stepped from the car but was disappointed when he immediately dropped her hand and turned away. He purposefully strode towards the place they'd seen her attacker hiding, his senses on high alert. They'd gotten lucky and there was no one around to question them, and he wanted to keep it that way.

"Maybe we should do this later." Beth's worried voice behind him caused him to stop. She was hurrying to match his long-legged stride and nearly collided with him, but his hands on her shoulders steadied her.

"Why would we do that?"

"Because I don't want you hurting." He furrowed his eyebrows in question and shot her a 'huh' look so she hastened to explain. "The sun. You said it wasn't good for you, so wouldn't it be better to come back at night?"

"I can handle a little sun." He turned away again and she bristled at him brushing aside her concern so easily. Hell, he acted like she'd insulted his manhood.

"Wait a second!" Beth stalked after him and grabbed his arm, forcing him to turn back around. "Last time, you said that _any_ sun was too much. And then you were _too stupid_ to get out of the sun, because obviously you think you're Superman. Or you just don't care if you live or die, but I do so _excuse me_ for trying to look out for you."

Nearly shaking with anger, Beth started to walk by him but Mick stepped into her path. "I was not 'too stupid' to get out of the sun. I had no choice because _your boyfriend_ dragged me into _his case_."

"Well, you could have said no." Beth spat back. "Or you could have told me that vampires couldn't handle sunlight and I never would have let Josh bother you. But no, that would require actually talking to me."

"Everyone knows that vampires can't tolerate sunlight. I didn't think I had to explain it to you."

"Everyone _knows_ that stakes kill vampires too, that doesn't mean they're right."

_Well, she does have a point. _Not that he would admit it. "Look, I would have been out of the sun by now if you hadn't started arguing. So can we just get on with it?"

"Fine."

She walked past him and he followed close on her heels. When they reached the attacker's hiding spot, Mick crouched down and inhaled deeply. Beth stayed silently, watching as his eyes fluttered shut and images of the past flooded his brain. In his vision, he saw a tall, shadowy man watching Beth. He watched as the man followed her, the soles of his shoes slapping against the asphalt. The obscene sound caused Mick's ears to ring, blocking out all other sounds as he saw Beth recognize the noise and start to flee. She hadn't hesitated or turned to investigate, he noted with pride, and it had probably saved her life.

He felt her fear wash over him, and he had to swallow hard against the sick, sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. But he also felt her strength, her will to live. She really was an amazing woman. It was clear the attacker had been caught off guard, not expecting her to take off so quickly, and Mick could make out his confusion. He was afraid, Mick realized with a start. Because this hadn't been part of the plan or, maybe, because of what he'd been about to do. Mick wasn't sure which but he filed the information away for later.

Finally, he saw Beth drive away, leaving the man standing in the middle of the parking lot for a moment before disappearing back into the shadows. The vision ended and Mick opened his eyes to find Beth looking at him strangely.

"Are you okay?"

"Seeing the past can be intense sometimes. I'll be fine." Actually, he wasn't too sure of that. Seeing the attack firsthand and feeling her fear while not being able to help her had shaken him, and his legs felt a little rubbery as he stood. "It wasn't much help, though. All I saw was a dark-haired guy in a hat and the clichéd black trench coat. But I do know one thing, he's not a professional."

"How could you tell?" She asked as they made their way to the car.

"He was afraid, and he was surprised when you ran. If he was a professional, he would have been better prepared." _If he was a professional, she would have been dead._

He felt an involuntary shiver run through him at that thought and placed a hand on her back, needing the simple touch. She offered him a smile and he felt himself smiling in return, forgetting that he was supposed to be keeping his distance. They reached the car and he opened the door for her, but she didn't get in.

Instead, Beth turned towards him and, before he could react, leaned in to place her lips softly on his. Mick's arms ached with the need to hold her but he forced himself to stay still, keeping one hand on the top of the door and the other braced against the roof. Beth didn't have his restraint and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down so she could deepen the kiss. He felt her tongue part his lips and slip inside, and he shifted forward so he could feel more of her body on his.

In the next moment, Mick's lips were left hanging in the air and Beth was sitting innocently in the car. He blinked away his confusion and closed her door in a daze, wondering if he'd imagined the whole thing. But his lips still tingled with her warmth, proving it had all been real.

Beth smiled to herself as she watched Mick round the car. She'd taken him off guard and, even though he'd held himself back, he'd still responded. Which meant if she pushed him far enough, she could make him stop holding back.


	13. Chapter 13

Thanks again for all your awesome reviews! Sorry I took so long to post this chapter, I wasn't sure I liked it til Fatale7 reassured me. I'll try to get the next update posted quicker...although it's going to be a difficult chapter to write. I think you'll all be able to see where it's going and that kind of thing isn't exactly my forte.

Oh well, hope you enjoy!

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**Chapter 13**

Mick wasn't sure what to think during the silent ride back to his apartment. He didn't even bother with the radio this time, too lost in his own thoughts. In 85 years, it was clear he hadn't learned a thing about women. Beth should have been mad at him for his sudden change in attitude, and she had been…until the kiss.

And now she was quiet, which worried him. In his experience, a silent woman was never a good thing. He gulped, getting the distinct feeling she was plotting something, and there was nothing he could do about it.

* * *

The arrived back at his apartment without either of them saying a word, but Mick knew it had only been a brief reprieve. As soon as they were safely ensconced in his apartment, Beth whirled around to face him. "What's going on, Mick?"

His eyes fluttered nervously to the side, refusing to meet her gaze. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do. What changed Mick? Did you get your fill of human? Or maybe it just wasn't good enough for you. Maybe _I_ wasn't good enough for you."

That got his attention and his eyes sought hers, a look of hurt disbelief crossing his face. "God no, Beth. How could you even think that?" He had to swallow against the swell of emotion and he cursed himself for not considering how his sudden distance would make Beth feel after everything that had happened between them.

"What was I supposed to think?" Beth felt her eyes begin to water and she blinked, trying to keep the tears at bay. Knowing Mick, she'd been fairly sure that there was a greater reason behind his sudden attitude, but that didn't keep the doubts from swirling through her head. After all, she was only human. And who's to say vamp sex wasn't better, hotter, more intense? Sex with Mick had certainly been the most intense thing she'd ever experienced, but what if it hadn't been the same for him?

"I don't know. Not that, never that. You made me feel human again, Beth. Do you realize how rare that is? Not once in 85 years have I ever come close to a feeling as incredible as I felt when I way lying in that bed with you." He couldn't resist pulling her into his arms and holding her tight, leaning down to whisper in her ear, "Don't ever doubt that, ok?"

Mick felt her nod against his chest and heard her muffled voice ask, "If it was so amazing, then why did you leave me?"

"Josef showed up with his impeccable timing, remember?" He tried to joke, but they both knew that wasn't what she was talking about. Beth pulled away just enough to look up at him and he knew he couldn't run from the truth any longer. He owed her that much.

"We need to talk." Mick started, leading her towards the couch.

"That sounds ominous."

"It is." He waited until she sat down, perching himself on the coffee table so he could face her. He scooted closer until his knees bumped the couch, his legs resting against the outside of hers. He casually laid his hands on her thighs and caught his lip between his teeth, unsure how to continue.

Beth saw him struggling for the right words and took his hands from her thighs, cradling his large hands in her smaller ones. She watched him swallow and open his mouth, only to close it again. "Tell me, Mick. Whatever it is, just talk to me."

"I should have told you this before. This would be so much easier if I had told you before, but I didn't. I put you at risk, and I am so sorry for that." Mick took a deep breath and decided to just spill it all out. "Never doubt that I want you, Beth, but we can't do that again. We got incredibly lucky the first time and I won't risk you like that a second time. I'm a vampire, Beth, and vampires…"

"Bite? I already figured that out, Mick. It's ok."

"It's not ok! I could drain you. People have died."

"I trust you, and you'd never hurt me. The desert proved that. If you didn't drain me then, you never will."

"It's a totally different situation. I lose myself in you and it's too easy for me to let my control slip. I almost bit you today, and who's to say I would have stopped? I can't risk that, Beth. I won't."

"But you didn't bite me. And even if you had, it would have been okay. I don't mind feeding you, Mick. A little blood is a small price to pay if it means I get you." Beth gave him a slight smile, hoping her words would reassure him but fearing that he was too strong to be swayed by mere words. She reached out a hand to stroke his cheek, watching as he struggled with himself.

Mick's head dropped forward, the strength seeming to leave his body. He wanted to give into her so badly it hurt, but he owed it to her to do the right thing. Without looking up, he captured her hand against his cheek and lowered it back to her lap. He sounded defeated when he once again spoke up. "You don't understand. Vampires aren't supposed to be able to have sex without biting. I shouldn't have been able to stop. It was a gift, a wonderful gift, but we can't risk repeating it."

"Why not? You said it yourself, it shouldn't have been possible. But it happened. So why can't we try it again?"

"Because I could hurt you! If I couldn't stop…" He let the thought trail off, not wanting to imagine it.

"Like I said, I trust you, Mick. And if you do bite me, I'm okay with that. But I'm not okay with letting you go, letting you walk out on a chance of us because you're scared."

Beth scooted forward and took his head in her hands, forcing him to look at her. She placed her lips on his but he didn't respond, so she pulled back enough to whisper, "Let me in, Mick. Let me love you." She took his mouth again, more demanding this time, and felt his lips slowly come to life.

Beth worked her tongue past his lips and Mick pulled away with a curse. "Dammit Beth, I told you we can't do this."

"Yes, we can." She moved forward to take his lips again but he evaded her.

"Please, Beth. Don't do this." His voice shook as he begged her to understand, to not make this harder than it already was. To his immense relief, she moved back a few inches and allowed him to take a deep breath. Thank God at least one of them was strong.

"Don't do what?" Beth asked innocently as she reached for the hem of her shirt, watching his eyes grow wide as she raised it over her head. She threw it at him and he caught it by sheer reflex, his gaze locked on her creamy skin.

Mick swallowed hard, unable to look away. He watched as she reached behind her, her fingers flicking over the clasp of her bra. It fell forward loosely, held on only by the straps that were quickly slipping down her arms. She wiggled free, sending it flying the way of her shirt. It smacked him in the chest and fell to his lap but he barely noticed. All he knew was he had Beth half-naked in front of him, and she played dirty.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: **I'm soooo sorry this took so long. Major writers block and real life both seemed determined to kill this fic, but luckily I have some very nice reviewers who kept me going. Hopefully this chapter will be worth the wait. I honestly can't believe I wrote part of it but I do hope you like it.

**This chapter is rated R**

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**Chapter 14**

Beth smiled as she watched his reaction, his gaze staying glued to her chest. For all his noble intentions and self-doubt, Mick was still a man. And Beth had him right where she wanted him. She scooted to the edge of the couch, slowly running her hands up his thighs as she moved closer. When she finally reached his belt, she let her fingers trail over the top and heard him gulp, his mouth suddenly dry. Her hands met over the front of his jeans and she wanted nothing more than to run her hands down his button-fly but she resisted, wanting to drag out the seduction until Mick couldn't stand it anymore.

Instead, Beth settled for tracing the intricate design of his belt buckle, tantalizing him with the muted pressure of her touch a mere inch above where he needed her. Just when he began to think he couldn't take it anymore, she dipped her fingers into his waistband. She leaned into him, dropping her voice to a husky whisper. "One of us is a little overdressed here. Don't you think?"

Mick could only stare at her as she pulled his shirt from his jeans and slid her hands beneath the hem, running her palms over his skin as she raised the shirt higher. She looked at him expectantly when she reached his arms and, without thinking, he hurried to comply, tugging the Henley over his head with one hand. Beth seized the momentary distraction of the shirt over his face and leaned closer, her tongue darting out to circle his nipple just as he freed himself from the shirt.

"Oh god," his breath caught and he froze, shocked by the sudden sensation and feeling her lick resonate throughout his body. His mind went blank and he reached for her, pulling her onto his lap so he could capture her lips. Beth gave in, matching his hunger and using her new position to rock her hips against his fly, making them both groan.

Mick's hand snaked between them to tug at her jeans, his only thoughts centered on getting them both naked as quickly as possible, but their position made it impossible. With his hands on her back, cradling her against him as Beth's own hands greedily touched every inch of his exposed skin, Mick leaned Beth backwards until she hit the couch. She wrapped her legs around his waist as soon as he began to move them, keeping their bodies joined as he followed her down. He quickly dropped to his knees on the floor, breaking the kiss so he could finish removing her jeans.

As soon as he had her naked, Mick stood and moved to undo his belt but Beth sat up and reached for him, covering his hands with her own. "Let me." She looked up at him, watching his eyes widen as she slid off the couch to kneel in front of him. Letting his hands fall to his sides, Mick could only watch as one of his fantasies played out in real life. Beth undid his belt and, one by one, slowly unbuttoned his fly. She kept her gaze locked on his face as she slid his jeans and boxers down, letting him step out of them.

Mick felt her breath against his skin as she moved closer, and even that slight sensation was killing him. He tried to take a deep, steadying breath, closing his eyes to try and dredge up a modicum of control. Then he felt her moist tongue circle his head and forgot his own name, his jaw clenching against the unbelievable pleasure. He had to lock his knees to stay upright, his breath coming out on a hiss. "Beth," he pleaded, wanting to tell her he couldn't take anymore but unable to find the words. Beth sucked him deeper and heard a low growl rumble from somewhere deep in Mick's chest. She inwardly smiled, loving how fast she could make him lose control.

Quickly becoming desperate, Mick used all his strength to pull away from her. If he didn't get inside her now, he'd never make it. She started to protest but he hauled her into his arms, cutting her off with his lips on hers. He devoured her mouth as he lowered her to the couch, instantly settling between her legs.

Mick paused at her opening, a single thought nibbling at his consciousness through the fog of lust clouding his brain. He'd barely touched her, hadn't prepared her. Here he was about to lose it like some randy teenager with no thought to Beth's pleasure after she'd just given him one of his fantasies. He needed to pull back, to make sure she was with him.

Beth felt his hesitation and mistook it for second thoughts. She refused to give him time to think, grinding against him and forcing their hips into even deeper contact. A low moan escaped his lips and he gave in, trusting Beth to know what she needed. He slid inside her slowly, teasing them both, letting her eat him up inch by tantalizing inch. When they were finally fully joined, Beth rolled her head back and arched against him, trying to take him even deeper.

Mick fought the urge to move, knowing he wouldn't last and determined to spend some time worshiping her. He leaned forward to capture her breast, lightly abrading her nipple with his blunt teeth then tracing a trail with his tongue to her other breast. Beth continued to writhe against him, practically begging him to move as he continued his oral assault on her body. He felt her inner muscles clamp around him, her heat burning him up until he had no choice but to move against her.

Beth cried out as he thrust into her again, her voice enough to break the fragile hold he had on his control. He gave into the frenzy, driving them both to the edge of blissful oblivion until the pleasure became too much to bear. Beth's body contracted in wave after wave of ecstasy, quickly overwhelming her. Mick heard her cries and gave up trying to hold back, shouting out his own release until he lay totally spent atop her.

* * *

For a moment, neither of them dared to move. Finally, Mick mustered up the energy to roll over, carefully maneuvering on the small couch until Beth was spread out on top of him. He noticed a single tear escape down her cheek and reached to brush it away.

Mick started to ask what was wrong but Beth smiled at him and reached up to stroke his cheek, reassuring him that everything was okay. He could tell from the look in her eyes that she had something important to tell him but he let her take her time, nuzzling into her touch as he waited for her to speak up.

"You don't even realize what's so special, do you?" Beth looked at him with amazement in her gaze, unable to believe that he'd forgotten even though she was secretly thrilled by the prospect.

"I have you in my arms. What could be more special?" He flashed her a cheeky grin like it was the most obvious answer in the world and raised up for a brief kiss.

"Hmmm…" she pretended to think though he could see the amusement lighting up her face. "Maybe knowing we can do it again, anytime we want."

It took a second for the meaning behind her words to sink in but when they did, Mick's jaw dropped open in amazement. His shock quickly turned to a scowl. He'd done it again, risked her life without a thought when he'd sworn it wouldn't happen again. This was why they couldn't be together, why he needed to stay away, why…

A hand thumping his shoulder broke his self-loathing train of thought. "Hey! Stop that! You do _not_ get to go all distant again. I swear, if you pull that 'it can never work' crap again…well, I can promise you won't like the consequences. Got it?"

"But…"

"No! There is no 'but.' There's just us, me and you, together." Beth dropped her mouth to his, emphasizing her point. Mick stayed still for half a second until he felt her tongue slip past his lips, then he became a very active participant. When Beth finally pulled away to breath, they were both breathing hard again. She dropped her head to his chest, confidant that she'd won him over.

Mick stayed quiet for a minute, thinking things through. "I didn't bite you," he said almost to himself, not even realizing he's spoken aloud. Beth heard the complete and total wonderment in his voice and smiled against his chest.

"Don't sound so amazed. Did you really expect anything else?"

"Yes. I should have had to bite you, but I didn't even think about it. Not once. It just doesn't make sense." He hadn't realized it until he said it but it was true, biting had never crossed his mind. He hadn't even vamped out.

"Mick, think about it. You're not exactly a normal vamp. Most vampires embrace their nature but you fight against it every day. I can't imagine how much self-control that must take. I guess it would kind of be like putting me in a room full of Godiva chocolate and then handing me powdered cocoa mix to eat." She looked at him and saw a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Have you ever even tried powdered cocoa?"

"I don't know if they had that when I was alive, but I'm guessing it's not good." He laughed when Beth made a disgusted face.

"Trust me, 'not good' is an understatement. You're supposed to use it for baking and making hot chocolate and it's fine for that kind of stuff, but it's horrible by itself. Once, when I was a kid, I found it in the cupboard and thought it would taste like a Hershey bar because that's what the can looked like. I got a spoon and took a big mouthful and, ugh." She shivered at the remembered taste. "It was like the driest mix of sawdust and cardboard and I couldn't seem to get the taste out of my mouth."

Mick shook his head at her animated description. He loved how cute she got when she rambled. Beth saw him biting his lip to keep from laughing at her and blushed, realizing she'd gotten off track but feeling too giddy right now to care.

"Anyway, maybe the biting is like a self-fulfilling prophecy for most vamps. But you don't want to bite anyone, ever. You fight it even when you're dying out in the desert. That makes you different, Mick. Usual vampire rules don't apply to you."

He had to admit, she had a point. The question was, how long could he keep his true nature at bay? Like Josef had said, one day his inner vamp would demand to be fed, and what if Beth was around when that happened? He looked down at her and saw the happiness shining in her eyes, making them a slightly lighter shade of blue than usual. The knowledge that he was responsible for that settled over him, warming him from his core. He couldn't hurt her, couldn't demolish the hope that maybe, just maybe, things could work out between them. So instead of telling her why they shouldn't, he simply held her closer and whispered, "I hope you're right." But what if she wasn't?

* * *

"Of course I'm right. I'm always right. Don't you know that by now?" Beth tried to joke but barely got a smile out of Mick. "Okay, what's wrong? I thought we got passed this clichéd broody vampire stuff."

Mick thought for a second, finally deciding that he owed her the truth. "I don't want to lose you, Beth. But I don't want to hurt you either and I'm terrified that I'm going to."

Beth pushed herself up so she could look him in the eye, needing to do this face to face. "You need to learn to trust yourself, Mick. Because I do, I trust you more than I've ever trusted anyone. Other vamps want to bite, to drink. But you don't, so you won't."

"But I do," his voice broke with the confession, saying the words he wished she didn't have to hear even though he knew it was necessary. "Deep down, there's a part of me that wants nothing more than to do just that and it scares the hell out of me, especially when I'm around you. Biting during release is about more than just feeding, more than a loss of control. It's something primal. It's about possession, marking you as mine for the whole world to see. And I'm terrified that one day I'll give into that desire because I love you so much, and it's that twisted sense of love that makes me so unworthy of you." Mick turned away from her, hiding his face so he wouldn't see the disgust in her eyes and so she wouldn't see the tears in his.

"Hey," she cupped his chin, forcing him to look at her again. "You're the most worthy man I know, Mick. And there's nothing twisted about wanting to make me yours. Hell, I want to tattoo your forehead so every other woman knows you're taken." That got a smile out of him and she grinned back, feeling a little of the tenseness leave his body. "And don't worry, I'll make sure the world knows I'm yours." She nipped playfully at his bottom lip and felt his body start to stiffen beneath her.

Mick was amazed how easily Beth accepted what he said and dismissed it, acting like it was no big deal. And that acceptance was like a stake removed from his chest. It was like he could finally breathe again. He was still afraid of hurting her, of course, but the fact that she wasn't worried about it made it a little easier to push those thoughts to the back of his mind. He had a lot of things left to sort out but right now, while Beth was here, the important thing was concentrating on keeping her happy. He could save the self-introspection for later. Especially since Beth was quickly distracting him by drawing designs on his chest.

"So," Beth broke the silence. "Speaking of feeding, don't you need to? Especially after being out in the sun today and all the, um, _energy_ we expended." She grinned wickedly until he kissed the smile off her face. Finally coming up for air, he felt his fangs starting to appear and realized she was right. He needed sustenance, especially if they were going to keep this up. The last thing he wanted was to be hungry around her.

Mick sat up with her still cradled close and stood, pausing to gently lower her back to the couch. "I'll be right back," he told her, but of course she didn't stay put. She followed him to the kitchen, neither of them bothering with clothes.

Beth watched as he opened his secret fridge and pulled out a large bottle of blood. She was fascinated by the idea of watching him feed and kept her eyes glued to the red liquid until Mick's voice caused her to look up.

"Since you brought up the sun, did we just survive our first fight back there?" He tried to divert her attention, not entirely comfortable with her watching him feed and grasping for some little piece of normal conversation as he poured himself a glass of O neg.

"Well, there was that time I hit you with the vase." Beth fought not to laugh and Mick tried to look offended, which just made Beth laugh harder.

"Hey, it's not funny. That really hurt." Mick pulled off the wounded look for all of two seconds before breaking into a grin.

"Awww, you big vamp baby." Beth tried to poke him in the ribs but he caught her hand, dragging her closer. Her hip brushed his and just like that, the air in the room changed. "Yes, I believe that _was_ our first fight, and you know what that means."

Mick swallowed hard, setting down his untouched glass and placing both hands on the counter to keep himself from treading into dangerous territory as he asked the question he knew he shouldn't ask. "No, what?"

Beth flashed him an innocent grin but her eyes sparkled mischievously, giving her away. "Make-up sex."

Mick smirked, keeping his cool façade in place even as his temperature skyrocketed. He struggled to keep his hands on the counter, his entire body clenching with the need to pull her into his arms. "What do you call what we just did?"

"Warming up."

* * *

_errr, I'm just gonna go hide now..._


	15. Chapter 15

**AN:** Sorry this took so long and a huge thank you to everyone who's stayed with the fic, especially those awesome reviewers that keep me writing. Hopefully my muse will come back now that we're finally getting new eps.

With any luck, this will be my last ever love scene but I felt it was necessary to further the story...plus Beth is uncontrollable, but who can blame her when she has naked Mick in front of here. :D I'm off to find a good hiding place...enjoy!

**This chapter is Rated R

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**Chapter 15**

"Beth," Mick heard his own voice waver and could have kicked himself

"Beth," Mick heard his own voice waver and could have kicked himself. He needed to be strong now. Even standing this close to her, feeling her warm breath tickling his skin, was too much temptation. And it wasn't just her body, it was her blood that was practically begging him to take a taste. "I'm 85, babe. I need time to recover."

Beth grinned at the endearment that so easily dripped from his tongue but she wasn't buying his excuse for a minute. "Could've fooled me." She reached out to gently cup him, holding the proof of his arousal in her hand.

A low growl escaped Mick's lips as her fingers tightened around him. "Beth," he tried to warn her away but Beth moved even closer, pressing her body into his side. His eyes drifted shut and his head slumped forward in defeat as he gave himself up to the sensation surrounding him.

With his eyes still closed, Mick reached out until his left hand closed around her waist. Taking her by surprise, he used the quick, gentle pressure on her hip to drag her closer, sliding her between his body and the counter. At the same time her back touched the smooth, cool surface behind her, Mick moved in, closing the small gap between them and taking her mouth with a single-minded intensity that both shocked and thrilled her.

Clearly done holding back, Mick nipped and tugged at her bottom lip, causing Beth to arch against him. He felt his fangs lengthening, his eyes icing over and pulled away, trailing kisses down her throat until he felt himself shift back into semi-control. Making his way back to her mouth, Mick looked up at Beth and smiled, letting her see the flash of fangs beneath his lips. Beth grinned back and, keeping her gaze locked on his dark bedroom eyes, lifted a hand to his cheek. Rising up to meet his lips, she let her tongue dart out to trace his fangs and was rewarded with a soft rumble of appreciation.

The kiss deepened as Mick slid his hands lower, using his grip on her thighs to lift her body up to meet his. Bracing her back against the counter, Beth immediately wrapped her legs around his bare waist and felt Mick shift his hold until they were perfectly aligned. Feeling her warmth against him heightened his already intense state of arousal and he had to grit his teeth against the pleasure. Unable to wait another second, he sank inside and felt Beth arch against him, throwing her head back on a moan. Mick tightened his hold on her, doing his best to keep them both upright as she began to move against him, countering his every thrust.

He felt her warmth seep into his body, making every nerve ending sizzle with new sensation, and he knew he wouldn't last much longer. Dropping his head to her chest, he rasped his fangs against her soft skin, teasing her with the gentle pressure as he made his way lower to let his tongue dance across her nipple. Beth cried out against him and tried to move closer but Mick, mindful of his fangs, pulled away. Before Beth could utter a word of protest, Mick took her mouth again, letting his tongue explore her mouth as he felt her body begin to tighten around him.

Beth felt her pleasure beginning to build and knotted her fingers in Mick's hair, determined to take him with her. Pressing her tongue against the sharp point of his fang, she tasted the slight metallic taste of blood and felt Mick stiffen against her, his body coiling so tight she was surprised he didn't snap. With a roar, he wrenched his mouth away from her, savoring the taste of her on his tongue even as he fought against his baser urges. Feeling his eyes flash to pale blue again, he snapped his lids shut and prayed Beth hadn't noticed, willing himself to change back.

But Beth was still moving against him, making the task almost impossible. Using her hold on his head, she tugged him down and rolled her head to the side, baring her neck. With his eyes still closed, Mick heard the blood pounding in her veins, it's sweet, intoxicating scent reaching out to him.

"Bite me," Beth gasped, struggling for breath. "Please Mick, I want you to." His eyes flew open at her soft command and he started to pull away, but Beth held on. "I trust you. Do it." Her words, so certain, reassured him and he stopped trying to escape. Instead, he buried his head in the hollow of her neck, pressing damp kisses against her skin until he reached the vein he was looking for. Inhaling deeply, he let her scent wash over him as he glided his fangs over her unmarred skin, drawing slight tremors from Beth each time.

Knowing they were both on the edge, Mick thrust inside her one last time, gently sliding his fangs into her skin at the same time. He felt Beth's body grip him as she cried out, both of them breaking beneath the waves of pleasure that matched each pull of her blood into his body.

With each drop, Mick savored the rich flavor of her on his tongue, the incredible taste overriding his hunger. He felt her body begin to calm and forced himself to slow down. No longer feeding, Mick pulled away slightly but kept laving the wound, enjoying both the taste and Beth's reaction. With each touch of his tongue, she trembled, nestled contently against his chest.

With one final lick, Mick forced himself to pull away. The wound needed to clot and that would never happen if he kept playing with it. Tucking his face into her neck, he tried to block out the scent of blood that was hanging in the air and felt his fangs retract while his eyes returned to their normal shade of blue. Once his control was back in place, Mick raised his face to look down at Beth snuggled against him. She was smiling up at him, letting him know she was okay.

Mick returned her smile and slowly loosened his hold on her, letting her unwrap her legs from his waist before gently lowering her to the ground. Her feet had barely touched the floor before he lifted her into his arms again, cradling her against his chest so he could carry her upstairs. But after the first step, he realized just how unsteady he was, his legs practically trembling beneath him as the dizzying affects of her blood flooded his brain.

Trying not to lurch around like an idiot, Mick managed to vampire up and make his way safely up the steps with Beth almost boneless in his arms. Once he reached the bedroom, he gently laid Beth on the bed and made his way into the adjoining bathroom, turning on the shower and waiting until the water had warmed before returning to the bedroom. He found Beth lying on her stomach, her chin resting on her hands, waiting for him with a wicked grin on her face.

Mick froze in the doorway, waiting to see what Beth was thinking even though he was half-afraid to find out. He had a lot of years of celibacy to make up for, 22 to be exact, so he was definitely up for whatever challenge she threw at him, but he had to wonder if she was trying to kill him with sex. Then she sat up, providing him with a glorious view of her naked body, and he had a feeling that, whether she was trying to or not, she was going to be the death of him.

* * *

Stalking towards the bed, intent on ravishing her again, he stopped in his tracks when Beth broke out laughing. Confused, Mick shot her a quizzical look, but her head was buried in the sheets in a vain attempt to stifle her giggles. Crossing his arms over his chest and bracing his feet apart, Mick stared at the strange sight before him. Clearly, he still didn't understand women at all.

Finally gaining some composure, Beth looked up again, then had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at Mick's expression. "God, you're easy." She blurted, chuckling a little when Mick raised an eyebrow at her. "I mean, you're such a guy. Once again, something huge happens and you don't even notice. I thought you paid more attention than that, Mick."

Mick had to smile at her. Oh, how she underestimated him. "Believe me, Beth, I know what happened downstairs. Just like I know you planned it. We're going to have to talk about that, by the way."

"Talk about what?" She tried to act innocent but Mick wasn't buying it.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe how you ignored what I said and used me to get what you wanted." Mick shot her a superior look and took a step closer, challenging her, and Beth answered by sliding to the edge of the bed.

"I'd say we both got what we wanted." She placed her feet on the floor and stood as Mick took another step closer, slowly closing the gap between them

"Yeah, this time. Just don't think you'll get away with it again." But even as he said the words, he was distracted by her gently swaying hips as she sauntered closer, stopping a mere foot away.

"Are you sure about that?" Beth asked as she ran a single finger down the center of his chest, drifting dangerously low before following the same path back up to place her palm over his heart. She heard him swallow before he answered, his teeth digging into his bottom lip as he considered his response.

"No," he answered truthfully, surprising her. "But just remember, it goes both ways." Reaching out to lightly trace her hip, he heard her breath quicken in response, proving him right. Beth closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, but he surprised her again by stepping away.

Her eyes flew open to see him standing a safe distance away, her mouth forming a silent 'oh' as she tried to process the sudden loss of contact. Well, that had backfired, she thought ruefully. Gathering her wits again, she remembered what she'd originally been waiting to talk to him about.

"Seriously Mick, about downstairs…" Beth paused, struggling to find a way to voice what she was thinking. Finally, she gave up and simply asked, "We're good, right?"

Mick grinned. "I'd say we're better than good." He stepped closer so he could wrap her in his arms again. "Just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Would it be too much to ask that you listen next time I say something's too dangerous?" As he'd expected, Beth shot him a 'duh' look. "Right. Then at least promise you'll talk to me next time."

"What if you won't listen?" Beth asked. "It's not exactly your best skill."

"Then hit me with something. Hell, you know where my vamp hunting kit is. Stake me to the floor and I won't have any choice but to listen. Just don't ignore what I say because you think that you know best, don't risk yourself like that without talking to me. I'm glad you pushed me today, Beth, and I'm glad I don't have to worry so much about being with you, but it was still dangerous. Something could have gone wrong, and I couldn't live with myself if that had happened. So promise me it won't happen again."

"Okay, I promise." Beth said, having expected this reaction, then grinned. "But only if you promise to quit telling me to stay in the car."

"Deal." Mick smiled, knowing that those orders didn't do any good anyway. Besides, he always had his handcuffs if he _really _needed her to stay put. That thought led to other thoughts and Mick found himself searching for a distraction. He registered the running water and took Beth's hand, tugging her towards the bathroom. "Come on, I think we both could use a hot shower."

"I know _I_ could use a hot shower. You, on the other hand, better like cold water." Beth grinned as she broke out of Mick's hold and bolted for the bathroom, intent on locking him out. She was almost there when she glanced behind her, expecting to see Mick trailing after her but finding only the empty bedroom. Turning back towards the bathroom, Beth shrieked in surprise as Mick appeared in front of her, scooping her over his shoulder.

"Hey! No fair using vamp speed!" She squealed, trying to act indignant and failing miserably when she started giggling.

"Well, I _am_ a vampire. What speed am I supposed to use, Ms. Turner?"

"I don't know…human speed? The kind of speed that let's me win?"

"Ahh," he exclaimed, tongue in cheek. "You mean reverse?" Beth answered by slapping his shoulder, causing him to laugh. "Be nice. You wouldn't want me to drop you."

"Ha! Something tells me I'm safe. You, on the other hand…" She swatted his behind, which she happened to have a very good view of from her vantage point. Hmmm, maybe losing wasn't so bad, Beth decided. She'd just settle back and enjoy the ride, and the view, while she plotted her revenge.


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: **Thanks for all the comments! This probably would have taken another month if it hadn't been for all the wonderful reviews. Hopefully I got Carl right, it seems like we haven't seen him in forever. I hope to have the next part up by the end of the week but after all the crap that's been in the news today, I'm not sure if it'll happen. I just hope Wednesday brings good news and a Fall renewal for Moonlight so we can all quit worrying.

**Disclaimer: ** CBS and the WB still own them, though I will gladly smack CBS upside the head if they don't renew it.

* * *

**Chapter 16**

"I'm telling you, Carl. Mick St. John is involved in this somehow. I know it."

Carl shook his head and stopped, turning to face the young ADA. "I know you're worried, Josh, but you're not making any sense. Think about it. Why would St. John take her? And if it was someone Beth knew, why would she run? You and I both know that's not her personality."

He tried to be calm and matter of fact, knowing Josh must be going through hell right now, but this was starting to get ridiculous. And the truth was, Carl was worried too, way more worried than he was letting on. Beth was a friend, had been for years, and she seemed to have disappeared without a trace. He had an APB out on her car but so far not a single tip had come in, and they had even less on whoever had tried to attack her. Carl was trying to take some comfort in the fact that he'd seen her get away, but the fact that she hadn't shown up anywhere yet left a heavy knot in the pit of his stomach. No way would the Beth he knew have gone into hiding, especially without telling anyone, which only left one option. Something had gone seriously, seriously wrong. He just hoped that wherever she was, she was alive, and somehow they'd manage to find her before it was too late.

But he couldn't tell Josh that. "Look, why don't you go home, stay by the phone. I told you I'd call if we hear anything."

"So you're not even going to check it out? Come on, Carl, you and I both know that all of Beth's troubles started as soon as St. John came into the picture. He's probably been planning this since day one."

"Then why now? Why go after Beth in a public place when he's had a hundred better opportunities?"

"I don't know. He's a psychopath, he doesn't have to make sense. Maybe she made him angry, turned him down or something."

Ah, so now they got to the real reason, not that Carl was all that surprised. It was easy to see that Josh was jealous of St. John, not that Carl could blame him. For whatever reason, Beth seemed to have formed an immediate bond with the PI. Having never understood how the headstrong reporter had ended up with the straight-laced DA, Carl had figured it was only a matter of time before she moved on to St. John. Maybe that time had finally come.

That thought caused him to look at Josh with new eyes. He didn't want to consider it and knew he had to be way off base, but the thought still flittered through his mind. After all, it wouldn't be the first time a jilted lover had balked at being left behind. And with his position as DA, Josh certainly had the ability to try to steer the investigation towards his rival. Of course, Carl felt that was about as likely as Josh's theory. But with no leads yet, it was also impossible to rule anything out, so he relented.

"Give me a reason. If you really think St. John is involved, than I need more than a gut feeling." Really, Carl thought, he'd have to talk to the PI either way. He was going to start talking to Beth's friends today anyway, hoping one of them would have some idea who could be after her, and St. John definitely fell into that category.

"He fits the description." Josh offered, though it sounded lame even to his own ears.

"So do half the guys in LA. I can't start hauling in every tall guy with dark hair." Carl started to walk away but Josh caught his arm.

"Wait. I didn't want to bring this up until I had more time to look into it but…" Josh pulled an old case file from his briefcase and handed it to the detective, watching as his eyes widen when he saw the name on the file.

"Beth's kidnapping?" Carl watched as Josh nodded. "But what does that have to do with St. John? He couldn't have been more than ten when that happened."

"Look at the last page." Josh waited for him to flip to the end then pointed to the piece of the paper that had taken him almost three hours to track down. It was the lead officer's notes, which were never included in the final report. Luckily, the police never threw anything away and they'd remained as part of the department's records, proof that Josh's suspicions were right.

He watched as Carl found the same lines that had caused a chill to run down his spine even as he rejoiced at having something concrete to back up his suspicions. _The child was found and returned on Thursday, September 4th, 1985, by a Private Investigator hired by the family. P.I. Mick St. John claimed to have found the girl in an uninhabited home on Crawford Street. By the time police arrived on scene, the house was already engulfed in flames. Fire investigators ruled the blaze arson and no clues as to the identity or whereabouts of the perpetrator or perpetrators were ever found._

Carl looked up as he finished reading, his mind struggling to come to terms with the truth he'd just learned. Is this why St. John had showed up at that first crime scene, why he always seemed to show up wherever Beth was lately, because his father had been the one to find Beth? Did Beth even know? "I'll let you know what I find out," Carl heard himself assuring Josh, still trying to process the implications. The scariest type of stalker was the one who never made himself known until it was too late, and St. John may have been stalking Beth for years without anyone having a clue.

* * *

Across town, Mick and Beth still lingered in the shower, letting the water provide a barrier against the world. They didn't think, didn't contemplate the threat they still had to ferret out. They simply felt, using the time to unhurriedly explore each other's bodies, touching every inch of skin with their hands and mouths. Neither moved to take it farther, both content to relax under the warm spray.

Mick couldn't remember the last time he'd played in the shower but he was certainly enjoying every second of it. He'd enjoyed washing her, taking the time to worship her body, but it had taken every ounce of his will-power to stand still while she took her turn, claiming it was only fair. After enduring what seemed like half an hour of sensuous torture, Mick had known he couldn't take anymore. He'd practically begged her to stop but Beth had simply smiled, refusing to relent, so he'd been forced to take matters into his own hands.

Remembering her reaction downstairs, Mick brought his lips to her neck, kissing the wounds that marked her as his. As it had downstairs, the touch made her tremble and she quickly dropped the washcloth, immediately melting into his touch. Mick had slowly kissed his way down her neck and then back up the other side, creating an invisible V on her skin. His blunt teeth bit down on her unbroken skin, her pounding blood reminding him just how long it'd been since he'd really fed but he pushed the thought away, focusing instead on the feel her slick body pressed against his. Just as he began to consider taking her against the shower wall, his vampiric ears perked at the sound of his ringing cell. The annoying sound stopped only to start up again a second later, causing Mick to groan against her skin.

"Josef's calling." Mick mumbled against her neck, knowing it was Josef by the ringtone. Another marvel of modern technology, he mused. "He's not going to stop."

"What?" Beth was still a little dazed, trying to comprehend why he'd stopped when she hadn't heard a thing.

"It's probably important." Mick couldn't resist placing a kiss on her pouting lips even as he pulled away, half-cursing the intrusion even as his mind told him it was for the best. Beth needed time to recover and he honestly couldn't trust himself to make love to her without biting right now, which meant Josef's lousy timing might actually be a blessing this time.

After turning off the water, Mick opened the shower door and scooped to pick Beth up, ignoring her half-hearted grumbling over her interrupted shower and his caveman tendencies. "My legs do work, you know," she informed him, attempting to sound stern but ruining the effect with a grin.

"I know, but I like carrying you." Mick admitted, smiling down at her, and Beth had to admit, silently, that she liked it too. Downstairs, Mick's cell stopped ringing only to start again for the third time and Mick silently cursed, setting Beth back on her feet on the cold tile floor and grabbing two towels from the towel rack. He handed Beth one with a quick kiss and hurriedly swiped the second across his wet chest. "As much as I'd love to help you dry off, I think I better get that before Josef has a coronary."

Still mostly damp, Mick disappeared from the room and hurried down the steps, reminding himself to grab their clothes while he was down there. He reached his jeans just as the phone started ringing again and he slung the towel around his neck so he could answer. "What?!" He growled, not appreciating Josef's incessant interruptions.

"Took you long enough." Josef grumbled right back, though the amusement was evident in his voice. "Zip your pants and put away the fangs, man, you've got company heading your way."

"Now's not a good time, Josef."

"Would I have warned you if it were me? I prefer the unannounced visits, they're so much more…_educational_." Josef laughed at his friend's low growl before getting down to business. "Seriously, man, Ryder just heard the cops on their way to your place. I didn't think you'd want them to find you with your fangs sunk inside some delectable reporter."

Mick swore softly. This he didn't need right now. Looking around the apartment, he started collecting their clothes from the floor, piling them on the couch as he told Josef, "Thanks for the heads up, man. I should have figured they'd come by to talk to Beth."

"Just be careful. Need I remind you that prison is not the vampire's friend?"

Mick ignored that remark as he moved into the kitchen, trying to ignore the smells and accompanying memories that assaulted him. Noting the glass of blood still sitting on the counter, he hurried over to down it in two swallows, grimacing a bit at the taste of room-temperature morgue blood after having the nirvana of Beth on his tongue. Rinsing out the glass, he glanced at the clock and wondered how long they had before the cops showed.

"Look, Josef, I need to get back to Beth, but did Ryder get anything else off the security tape."

"Not yet but he's still working on it. I'll let you know if he finds anything, just watch your back with the cops." Josef hung up without saying goodbye, leaving Mick to do one last visual sweep of the apartment to make sure everything was in place. Seeing nothing amiss, he hurried back up the stairs, stopping briefly to grab their clothes from the couch.

* * *

He found Beth at the top of the stairs wearing another one of his shirts. Even knowing they had to prepare for the police, Mick couldn't stop the rush of desire that flooded his veins at the sight of her fresh from the shower and wearing his clothes.

"Hey," she smiled, reaching up to kiss him. He could get used to that kind of greeting, he thought. "I was just on my way down. What'd Josef want?"

"To warn us. Apparently the cops are on their way over." Placing a hand on her back, Mick led her back into the bedroom. Tossing the pile of clothes on the bed, he started to run the towel over his body, drying the few droplets of water that still clung to his skin.

Beth stared at him, enjoying the magnificent sight before her, before his voice shook her back to consciousness. "Get dressed, I'm not sure how much time we have."

"Wait, why are the cops coming?" Mick raised an eyebrow at her question and she blushed. "Oh, right, the attack." Now she felt like an idiot. Some investigative reporter she was but, in her defense, it was pretty hard to think straight when she had Mick in front of her, completely naked and a picture of perfection as his wet hair caused rivulets of water to run down his skin. She busied herself with pulling on clothes, although she wished she had something else to change into. She thought about leaving Mick's shirt on but knew this was going to look bad enough as it was, no need to make it worse.

"Hey, Mick."

"Yeah," he answered as he reached for clean jeans and boxers.

"If I'm going to keep staying here, we really need to stop back at my place."

"_If_ you keep staying here?" Mick looked like he was insulted by the mere idea of her leaving, causing her to laugh.

"Yeah, _if._" She winked at him. "Seriously though, I really need new clothes. And the stuff from my car. I can't believe I've gone so long without my phone and laptop." She finished dressing and sat down on the bed, watching as Mick pulled on his own jeans.

"What, I'm not entertaining enough for you?" Mick grinned as he moved closer, surprising her by snagging the blue Henley she'd just taken off and slipping it over her head. Even though she'd only had it on for a minute, it still carried her scent, and Mick loved the inherent intimacy of that. She carried his marks, a sign that she belonged to him and him alone. Now, for the rest of the day, he'd carry her scent as proof that he belonged to her too.

Shifting to serious, Mick sat down next to her. "Beth, when the cops get here, you need to tell them the truth. Okay?"

"I need to tell them that I've spent the day being ravished by a devastatingly handsome vampire?" Beth joked, earning her a slight grin, but in reality she could feel her stomach beginning to turn at the thought of being questioned by the police.

"Well, maybe you should leave that part out." Mick pressed a kiss to her temple, feeling the tension rolling off her. Close to her ear, he whispered, "You'll be fine. I'll be right beside you the whole time."

Beth smiled at him, slightly reassured but still dreading what lay before her. She had vague memories of the police after the kidnapping, asking her repeatedly to tell them something about the lady who'd taken her or where she was kept. They'd scared her, not because they were mean or threatening but because they wanted her to go back to a place she didn't want to be. They wanted her to remember when all she wanted to do was forget, to feel safe again.

She remembered sitting in her bedroom while a uniformed officer asked her questions. He'd gotten frustrated when she wouldn't say a word and she'd spent the whole time staring at the space above his head, trying to tune him out and wishing the man would come back, the one who'd saved her. She'd felt safe in his arms, like nothing could touch her, like he could protect her from the world. She'd thought he could make everyone stop asking questions and leave her alone, but he'd never came back.

* * *

The knock on the door ripped Beth from her memories and she jumped before catching herself.

"Hey," Mick used his finger on her chin to raise her face to his. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's just get this over with." Beth stood and Mick was right behind her, squeezing her hand reassuringly and lacing their fingers together as they left the bedroom.


	17. Chapter 17

**AN: **I'm baaack! Sorry for the massive hiatus, my muse kinda went on vacation after the evil cancellation announcement. But I'm back in classes now so you should be able to expect more regular updates again. And as always, thanks to everyone who's taken the time to feed my muse with a comment. :)

* * *

**Chapter 17**

Mick glanced over at Beth as they hit the top of the stairs, worried about how she would handle dealing with the cops. She'd been doing well since the attack but, then, she'd also been pretty distracted. Grinning at the memory, his eyes immediately sought the twin puncture marks on her neck as he remembered the taste of her on his tongue and how he'd lost himself in the sensation of being so completely joined. Then rational thought finally pervaded his Neanderthal mind and he froze, pulling Beth to a halt beside him. _Oh shit, the bite marks. Way to reveal vampirism to the world, genius._

"What's wrong?" Beth asked, watching the look of horror cross his face.

"Come on," Mick dragged her back into the bedroom, not bothering to explain. Once inside, he pushed her towards the bed and hurried to the bathroom, digging out the first aid kit he'd bought after that first night he'd brought Beth into his home. Seeing her unconscious, her soft skin marred by various scratches from the car crash, had left him shaken by the knowledge there was nothing he could do to help her, no Tylenol or even a band-aid he could offer her. He'd went shopping the very next night, vowing to be prepared on the off-chance he needed to patch up Beth in the future. He'd just never thought he'd be treating her for his bite.

Returning to the bedroom, he watched Beth eye the first aid kit in his hand but she stayed silent. The knocking started up again, louder this time, but Mick tuned it out and dropped to his knees in front of her, placing the first aid kit beside her on the bed and reminding himself that he needed to hurry.

"I don't want to explain this to the cops," Mick explained hurriedly as he tore open a package of gauze with his teeth and pulled out a roll of tape. "Especially after the desert." That was the last thing they needed, some observant cop wondering why she had marks on her neck that were identical to the 'cuts' she'd received in the desert.

Beth simply nodded and, as gently as possible, he covered her wounds with the gauze and quickly secured the tape in place. It wasn't pretty but it would do. "If anyone asks…"

Beth jumped in to finish his thought as Mick floundered for a plausible excuse. "If anyone asks, I cut myself when I dove into the car." She smiled at him reassuringly as he helped her to her feet and they started for the steps again.

"Is that what you told them last time?" Mick question as they once again reached the top of the steps, wondering how she'd possibly explained away two near-perfect holes in her wrist.

"No. I told them I was a klutz who never learned how to climb a fence. More importantly, I never learned _not_ to try climbing a fence that had barbed-wire on top." She grinned again and he smiled back, fighting off a laugh because that was definitely something he could see his headstrong Beth trying to do.

They reached the bottom of the steps and Mick immediately glanced at the security screen, surprised to see Carl pounding on the door. He squeezed Beth's hand once again, thankful that at least this was someone she knew. They might just make it through this. Moving toward the door, Mick paused to watch Beth take a deep breath, clearly still worried even though it was only Carl. Ignoring the continued knocking, Mick pulled her closer, pressing a quick kiss to her lips and offering a whispered reminder against her skin. "I'm here," he breathed. "You're not alone."

Beth offered him a smile, feeling slightly calmed by his words and nearness. She had nothing to fear as long as he was by her side and she knew it, so when he paused again with his hand poised on the door handle, she merely nodded her okay.

* * *

Carl's gut had been churning since the second Josh placed that file folder in his hands and the longer he stood outside Mick's door, the more uneasy he felt. Nothing about this entire situation felt right and he suspected St. John was the only one who might have some answers…if he ever answered the door.

Just as he finished that thought, the door began to open and Carl immediately stepped forward, subtly situating himself in the doorway just in case Mick got any ideas about shutting it in his face. But the door continued to swing open to reveal Mick, looking as calm and collected as always.

"Carl." Mick greeted him coolly as he stepped back to allow him in.

Carl started inside, not bothering with preliminaries. "We need to talk. I'm not sure if you're aware of this but Be…" He trailed off in disbelief as he noticed the other presence in the room. "Beth?"

"Hey, Carl." Beth managed a weak smile before shifting her eyes to Mick, seeing that he too had realized something was off. Mick wanted to meet her gaze, to reassure her, but he kept his attention focused on Carl, having noted the spike in the detective's pulse the second he saw Beth.

Even more confused now and extremely aware of St. John's position behind him, Carl's hand immediately sought his holstered gun until his fingers rested reassuringly against it. Beth was too focused on Mick to notice but the subtle gesture wasn't lost on Mick.

Though he knew the gun was meant for him, Mick wasn't taking any chances. Stalking silently forward, he moved to place himself in front of Beth, his stealthy movements taking Carl by surprise.

* * *

Breaking his staring contest with Mick, Carl chanced a glance at Beth, wanting to see her reaction to Mick's advance. Her gaze was locked on Mick but he saw no fear in her eyes, only questions. He wasn't quite sure what to make of that but he wasn't about to let down his guard. Not until he knew for sure what was going on. Keeping his expression carefully neutral, Carl prepared to take control of the situation. But Mick beat him to it.

"So, Carl," he started, not bothering to hide the challenge in his tone. "You want to tell us what you're doing here?"

"I'll ask the questions, St. John." Carl glared at him for a moment before shifting his eyes back to Beth, struggling to see her around Mick's broad frame. First thing was first. "You okay, Beth?"

"Of course," she scoffed, not liking the subtle edge in Carl's voice. "I just want to get this over with."

"Get what over with?"

"The questioning." Beth raised her eyebrows questioningly, wishing she could pull off Mick's patented single eyebrow raise. Just what did Carl think she was talking about? "Look, I know you have to do your job and I know you need details to catch this guy, but I don't know what I can tell you. I didn't _see_ anything."

She stressed the last sentence, hoping they could just leave it at that even though she knew better. She mentally prepared herself for the onslaught of questions she knew she couldn't answer, but Carl's first question still threw her.

His confusion growing by the second, only one question came to Carl's mind. "How did you get here, Beth? Who brought you?"

"I drove," she patronized him, drawing it out. "How did you think I got here?" Beth shook her head, his second question ringing through her mind as she struggled to make sense of everything. She felt as much as saw Mick tense in front of her and watched as Carl's eyes flicked back to Mick, causing the anger to bubble up inside her as everything finally clicked.

"You thought Mick did this?!" It was more of an outraged statement than a question. "Why? What the hell could possibly make you think he had _anything_ to do with this?"

"Not what," Mick answered instead, practically daring Carl to confirm his suspicions. "Who."

He heard Beth's deep exhale behind him and slipped his hand behind his back, feeling her reach forward to grasp it. They both knew there were only two people who knew where she was, and there was no way Josef had sicced the cops on them. The slight flicker of recognition in Carl's eyes was all he needed to know he'd been right, although he wished for Beth's sake he hadn't been. But he'd deal with that later.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews everyone! You guys are the best. :) I already have the next chapter and a half written but school has been completely insane lately so I'm having trouble finding time to type them up. Hopefully things will slow down soon (I'm not sure how many more tests and projects my poor brain can take, lol) and you won't have to wait to long for the next update, especially since it's one of the chapters I'd been really looking forward to writing.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Part 18**

Carl stayed silent, looking between Mick and Beth as his brain worked feverishly to figure out the best way to handle the situation. Unless Mick had somehow managed to brainwash her which, knowing Beth, he highly doubted, Beth's vehement defense showed that Mick hadn't done anything to hurt her…yet. But that didn't mean he was innocent, especially after the 'coincidence' Josh had show him earlier. And until he knew for sure, he wasn't about to tip his hand.

Meanwhile, Mick was busy kicking himself for being so slow. He'd picked up on Carl's distrust the second he'd walked through the door but he'd brushed it off. Cops in general were a suspicious breed and simply being a P.I. and, therefore, an interloper in their eyes was explanation enough. What hadn't made sense, however, was the way Carl's heartbeat had spiked when he first saw Beth. Now he knew why, and he didn't like it.

He didn't like that anyone could think he was capable of hurting Beth, and he definitely didn't like that Carl still considered him a suspect despite what Beth had told him. But what he hated most of all was that Josh was behind this whole snafu. He should have knocked the jackass out when he had the chance.

Shaking his head slightly, Mick tried to clear the red-hot haze that was clouding his brain. As hard as it was, he tramped down on his anger, placing it aside so he could focus on the problems at hand. Sliding on a cool facade, he nudged Beth towards the living room.

Surprised, Beth was slow to react. She'd expected Mick to unequivocally tell Carl to get lost, not invite him farther in. It didn't make sense. Unless, she thought, he was only trying to get her out of the way. She placed her hands on her hips, fully intending to give him hell for attempting to dismiss her but the look on Mick's face stopped her. He nodded once, as if he could see where her thoughts had gone. And below the barely leashed anger swirling in his eyes, Beth could see something softer, a silent plea for her to trust him. Without a second thought, she turned and started towards the living room, feeling the reassuring weight of Mick's hand on her back as he fell into step behind her.

Mick didn't bother inviting Carl to follow, figuring they were well beyond any veiled attempts at civility. But, after a beat, he heard Carl's cautious footsteps behind them. Good, he thought with grim satisfaction. If they had to face an inquisition, they might as well be comfortable.

Always the gentleman, Mick waited for Beth to be seated before joining her on the couch. He resisted the urge to pull her to his side and opted instead for the adjoining cushion, being sure to keep a respectable distance between them. He wasn't sure yet if Carl should know of his and Beth's newfound closeness or if that could somehow make him look more guilty since _obviously_ it was the attack that drove her into his arms, so he decided to rtt on the side of caution.

They hadn't done anything yet to overtly announce their relationship and he intended to keep it that way until he was certain it was safe. But he'd forgotten about one thing…  
Beth.

After Carl's asinine assumption, Beth had no intention of hiding their relationship. She wanted no doubt about Mick's importance in her life and, after their conversation earlier, she'd thought Mick felt the same. So she wasn't about to let him put distance between them again. As soon as he was seated, Beth slid over until their thighs bumped, ignoring the look Mick gave her and reaching for his hand. As her fingers curled around his, she watched his eyes dart towards Carl, trying to get his silent message across. But she misread him, taking it as a reminder they had an audience.

Beth took her eyes off Mick long enough to watch Carl's eyes grow wide as he took in their new position. Good, she thought smugly, let him see how wrong he was. But her smirk faltered when she looked back to Mick, seeing that he too was wide-eyed.

Turning her head so that only Mick could see, she mouthed, "What?" But Mick only shook his head, realizing it was to late now. The damage had been done and his only option was to embrace it, knowing that Carl would pick up on any uneasiness and construe it as proof he had something to hide. So he pasted on a smile, which turned genuine as soon as Beth smiled back.

"United front," she whispered, squeezing his hand reassuringly and reminding him of his earlier promise. Just that easily, Mick's misgivings took a back seat. Carl could think whatever the hell he wanted. The most important thing was being here for Beth.

Slipping his arm around her, Beth snuggled into his embrace and lightly rested her palm against his thigh. Without thinking, Mick placed his free hand on top of hers, unconsciously keeping her close, before once again bringing his attention back to Carl who'd been watching the whole exchange with uneasy fascination. Mick's jaw clenched. "Ask your questions." _Then, one way or another, you'll answer mine._

* * *

A bit surprised by the opening Carl was slow to respond, still trying to figure out Mick's motives. But he could dissect that later. The most important thing right now was getting some concrete answers…and then getting Beth far away from St. John.

Doing his best to pretend this was just another interview, Carl pulled out his notebook and began the standard list of questions. "Start at the beginning, Beth. Walk me through last night, and don't leave anything out."

Beth shrugged, trying to play it off as no big deal even though just thinking about it was enough to make her tremble with 'what if's.' Mick's arm around her tightened, giving her the strength to find her voice. "I was working late finishing up a story. I went out to the parking lot and heard someone behind me so I ran. He grabbed my jacket but I guess he didn't have a good hold because I managed to pull away. Then I dove into my car and drove here. End of story."

If his suspicions were correct, that was nowhere near the end of it, Carl thought. Now he just had to prove it, one way or another. "I need more details, Beth. What did he look like? Did you notice any other cars? Anything out of place?"

But Beth was already shaking her head. "I already told you, I never got a good look at him. He was tall, over 6 feet, and he was wearing a hat."

Carl took down the notes even though it was nothing more than they already knew. "What about the cars?"

"Mine was the only one in the lot and nobody pulled out behind me, so I guess he must've parked somewhere else." She looked questioningly at Mick, waiting for him to back up her assertion. He nodded slightly, knowing that it made sense. Either her attacker had planned to use her car as the getaway vehicle or he'd had no intention of her leaving the lot, which was something Mick didn't want to contemplate.

He held Beth a little tighter, needing that reassuring warmth against his side to keep from getting sucked into the dark thoughts swirling through his head. Beth felt his tenseness and slowly smoothed his denim-clad thigh with her free hand, her soothing strokes pulling him back to the present. The exchange wasn't lost on Carl but he chose to ignore it, moving on to the next question on the list.

"Okay, let's backtrack a little. You left BuzzWire at 2:04 a.m., correct?"

At Beth's confused look, Mick softly explained, "the security video."

"Oh," Beth's eyes flashed with amused embarrassment and Mick had to fight a grin. Some investigative reporter she was. She glared at Carl, a bit annoyed at both his stupid question and her equally dense answer. "Then why did you ask if you already knew?"

Carl shrugged. "It's standard. Besides, it's not unheard of for clocks to be wrong or tapes to be tampered with. It doesn't hurt to double-check." Actually, he thought, it was just a good way to segue to the next question. "Is that your normal leaving time?"

"News doesn't happen on a schedule, Carl. You know that. I stay until the story is done."

"Think about it, Beth. Did you fall into any kind of pattern this week? Were there a lot of late nights or was this the only one?"

Pausing for a moment, she thought back on the past week. It hadn't been that busy of a news week, she realized. Yet she'd stayed until after midnight each night, mostly so she'd have a reason to be out late for her nightly stops at Mick's apartment. And, she thought a bit guiltily, just maybe to avoid Josh and his boyfriendly concern.

Forcing her mind back to the moment she admitted, "I guess I've been working late a lot this week." She watched as Carl scribbled another note, wishing she knew what he was writing. But Mick had picked up on Carl's train of thought immediately and Beth felt him give the slightest shudder, which was more than enough to put her on alert.

Mick could see her trying to put the pieces together and wished he could stop her, wished he could somehow spare her from the knowledge that was terrifying him. But he couldn't. Beth could be too smart and inquisitive for her own good sometimes, and this was definitely one of those times.

It was entirely possible that someone had been watching her for God knows how long, just waiting for the perfect time to strike. The endless scenarios of what could have been rushed through his brain, haunting him as each scene became more gruesome than the last. And, judging by the death grip she now had on his hand, it hadn't taken Beth long to echo his nightmares. He could kick his own ass for not being there, for not watching over her all because of some misconstrued logic that his distance would save her. Yeah, that worked out beautifully. But he was here now and she wasn't leaving his sight again, even if it meant traipsing across the desert to another no-star motel.

"Who knew you were working late?" Carl's question startled them both from their thoughts.

"Just Maureen, and I guess Josh. But we both know it wasn't them, _or anyone else I know_." She stressed the last part, reminding Carl she was still pissed at him for his suspicions.

"Don't be so sure, Beth. Anything is possible and everyone is a suspect until we rule them out. Which brings me to my next question." He switched his attention to Mick, challenging him with a steady glare. "Where were you at 2:04 last night?"

"Carl!" Beth warned, beyond outraged at the question. But Mick stayed relaxed, refusing to rise to the bait.  
His eyes never wavering from Carl's, he uttered a single word. "Here." His tone made it clear there was no room for further questioning.

Carl sized him up for a moment before deciding it was a lost cause. St. John wasn't about to break down and confess anytime soon. Besides, Carl figured now was as good a time as any to switch tactics. And he had a hunch this would infuriate Mick more than direct questioning ever would. Almost grinning in anticipation of St. John's reaction, Carl issued his order and waited for the fallout.

"I need to talk to Beth alone. Now."


	19. Chapter 19

Thanks for feeding my muse with your wonderful reviews. :) And thanks to Moonlighter for beta-ing. Hope you enjoy!

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**Chapter 19**

Mick knew Carl was waiting to see his reaction so he let the unequivocal 'no' die on his tongue even though everything inside of him rebelled at the idea. Instead, he deferred his attention to Beth, letting her decide how she wanted to handle it.

Luckily, Beth didn't suffer from the same kind of restraints and didn't hesitate to tell Carl, "No."

"Beth, that wasn't a question."

"I don't care, Carl. I want Mick here so go ahead and say whatever it is you want to say."

Although he hated to do this to Beth, it was obvious reasoning wasn't going to get him anywhere, which only left one option. "Look, we can either do this here or down at the station. It's up to you."

Beth just shook her head. "Oh, come on Carl. You know me."

"Beth," Carl started to protest but it was Mick's hand on her arm that stopped her impending tirade.

Coming to his feet with Beth in tow, Mick said, "Give us a minute," before leading her into his office. As soon as they were safely ensconced behind the door, he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"You're doing great," he whispered against her skin.

Beth relaxed against him, letting the tension momentarily drain from her body. "I'm sorry," she whispered into his chest.

"For what?"

"For Carl. And for Josh. I feel like strangling them both right now."

Mick grinned, "Me too. But don't worry about it. I can handle them."

But Beth wasn't so sure about that. If Carl even took Mick in for questioning, he could hold him for 24 hours without filing charges. And Beth knew she couldn't let that happen. Common sense alone told her that vampires and jail didn't mix.

Reluctantly, Beth pulled away from Mick's embrace and attempted to smile despite the butterflies that had taken up residence in her stomach. "Thanks, I needed that."

"Anytime," Mick winked, trying to lighten the mood a bit. And, despite everything, Beth still found herself grinning at his playful tone.

"I'm going to hold you to that." She squeezed his muscular shoulder, already feeling like she couldn't get back into his arms fast enough. But first she had an inquisition to endure. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself for the battle to come.

Watching with his heart in his throat, Mick desperately wished for a way to spare her. Even knowing it was useless, that there were no other options, he still tried to offer her an out. "Beth," he pulled her close again, offering his silent support. "You don't have to do this."

Her arms tightened around him and he could almost feel her gathering herself. "Yes I do, Mick. I have to do this. I have to show Carl that you weren't involved and I have to show myself that I can face my fears. I'm not four years old anymore." She raised a hand to his face, lightly stroking his cheek. "And this time I won't be waiting for my guardian angel to save me because I know he's just a room away."

Beth smiled up at him and Mick struggled to smile back. Her words cut into him, a stinging reminder that Carl wasn't that far off the mark. He _had_ watched Beth, had kept track of her all these years. So really, was he that much better than Beth's attacker?

With a slight shake of his head Mick did his best to dislodge those thoughts, vowing to tell her everything as soon as all this was over. Beth had enough to deal with right now and she needed his support. Pressing a gentle kiss to her lips, he pulled back just enough to whisper, "You can do this, Beth. You're the strongest woman I have ever known and I know that you can handle Carl on your own. But you won't have to, not really, because I'll be here the whole time. Just whisper my name and I swear I'll hear you, okay?"

Beth nodded, feeling a bit more relieved. She'd forgotten about his vampire hearing but just knowing that he'd be listening did a lot to allay her fears. With one last kiss she pulled away from Mick's strong embrace and headed for the door. It was time to get this over with, and she planned to give Carl a big piece of her mind.

* * *

Carl swiveled around at the sound of footsteps behind him, expecting to see Mick coming to escort him out. But it was Beth who stopped beside his chair, crossing her arms over her chest as she faced off with him. If she was going to do this– and really, what choice did she have– she wanted to set a few ground rules first.

"Mick is off-limits. He didn't have anything to do with this, despite whatever Josh's male pride may have told you, and I won't put up with you treating him like a suspect. One word against him and I walk, got it?"

Having no problem lying to her, Carl submitted to her demands with a nod. Not that Beth really believed him. Still, she knew there was nothing more she could do so she reluctantly made her way to the couch, which suddenly seemed far too big and empty without Mick's presence. But she swallowed back her fear and pressed on, sitting across from her inquisitor and waiting for the onslaught to begin.

She didn't have to wait long.

Carl eased into things, not wanting to press too fast and have Beth clam up on him. "Can you think of anyone who has a grudge against you?"

"We think it was someone I did a story on. It's not like I have enemies or anything." _Other than you if you keep going after Mick._

"Do any of the stories stand out? Maybe someone that struck you as particularly hostile."

"Not that I can think of. I mean, the Fayed case got pretty intense and it _was_ my last big story, but they would have sent a professional. And I guess the Lee Jay Spalding shooting may have upset somebody but I didn't think there was anyone from his crew left." She still shivered when she thought of that night so she quickly moved on. "Those are the only two that come to mind. Almost everything else was smaller and nothing really sticks out, but Mick has me working on a list to hopefully find the link."

Looking up from his notebook, Carl held up a hand to stop her. "Wait, back up. You said Fayed would have sent a professional. How do you know your attacker wasn't a pro?"

_Because Mick and his cool vampire senses said so._ Not that she could tell Carl that without increasing his suspicions. Better to play it safe and act like it was no big deal. "Well, I'm still alive and sitting here talking to you. That was kind of my first clue. A pro would have been better at his job, right?"

Carl nodded, impressed by her reasoning skills even after all she'd been through. "That's the theory the department is going with, but I still think I'll look into Fayed's men just to be safe."

Deciding it was time to edge a little closer to his real subject, Carl switched up his approach and hoped Beth wouldn't catch on. "So Beth, what made you come here after the attack?" Beth glared at him and started to rise so he amended, "Hey, I didn't break the rules. I never mentioned his name. I just need to understand everything that happened last night, including your thought process."

Beth paused, feeling like she was about to walk through a mine field no matter which choice she made. Still, it wasn't like she could really walk out so she perched herself on the edge of the seat, resigned to her fate. "Fine, but I don't see why it matters. I was in trouble so I came to Mick for help. Big deal."

"But why Mick? Why not the cops?"

Beth glared at the mention of Mick's name but Carl just rolled his eyes and pressed even harder in his attempt to get to the truth. "Why not Josh? Come on, Beth. Tell me why you chose St. John over your own boyfriend."

"Shut up," Beth's hands curled into fists and she fought to relax them, trying in vain to keep her cool. She hated what Carl was insinuating though she had to wonder if it was because he'd hit a little too close to the truth. Her body may have been faithful to Josh, but if she was honest, her heart had been cheating for months. And was that really any different?

More subdued now, Beth decided it was time to tell Carl the whole truth, at least as far as her decision was concerned. Maybe then he would realize Mick had nothing to do with her attack. "You want to know why I came to Mick? I came to Mick because I was scared, because I needed someone to protect me. He was the only person that I thought of once I got away. Not Josh, not you or the police. Mick. It's Mick who I trusted to keep me safe and it was his arms I wanted to find comfort in.

Does that make me a bad person? No. Should I have broken up with Josh earlier? Probably, but that's not a crime. And nothing happened between me and Mick until after I'd ended things with Josh, which I did bright and early this morning. So if you're looking for a suspect maybe you should start with him."

Carl sat back, letting it all sink in. But none of that changed the facts, no matter who had brought the details to his attention. It was time Beth knew the truth. Now he just had to figure out how to tell her.

"Tell me what you remember about your kidnapping."

Beth blinked, caught entirely off guard by the abrupt change in topics. "I don't want to talk about it." That had been her standard response for 22 years and she uttered it without thinking, quickly slamming the door on those thoughts. But Carl wasn't having it.

"They could be connected, Beth. I need to know what you know."

"How could they be connected? It was over two decades ago, and in case you haven't noticed, I'm all grown up now." But now that he'd put the idea in her head she could feel herself begin to panic.

"Just humor me. This is important."

Beth shook her head and tried to take a few deep breaths but it wasn't helping. Carl was scaring her just as that officer had all those years ago and she could feel that old terror rising. Clutching for safer thoughts to steady herself, she pictured Mick in his office and remembered his promise. It helped but not nearly enough.

"Why can't Mick be here?"

Carl let out an exasperated breath, not quite sure how to respond. There was no easy way to do this, especially after hearing the way Beth had spoken of Mick, so he finally decided to just get it over with.

"Because I looked at the notes in your file today, the ones about your kidnapping. It said the man who found you was a Private Investigator." He paused, looking for any flicker of recognition from Beth before continuing. "His name was Mick St. John."


	20. Chapter 20

Thanks for the comments! Sorry this took a little while to get up. School got crazy and I totally forgot about it, but I am back to working on the next chapter so hopefully you won't have to wait long for the next update. Hope you like it!

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**Chapter 20**

Shocked silent, Beth could only stare at Carl as her mind spun in three different directions at once. It had been Mick. All these years and it had been Mick she'd been imagining, Mick who had saved her. Too many thoughts and emotions were warring inside her and she wasn't sure which she should give into first. Part of her wanted nothing more than to rush into the office and bury herself in Mick's arms, but one thought held her back. Why hadn't he told her? After everything they'd been through, everything they'd shared, why did he feel he had to hide it?

"Beth," Carl's quiet voice shook her from her thoughts, reminding her where she was.

She started to answer but stopped, noting how intently Carl was watching her. He was too focused, too expectant, and Beth didn't like it. Realizing she needed to be extra careful now or risk endangering Mick, she did her best to push all those thoughts and questions out of her mind, locking them away and letting the impervious reporter part of her brain take over.

"Sorry, Carl. I kind of zone out when anyone brings up the kidnapping. It's not something I like to think about."

Carl nodded his understanding though he suspected simply 'zoning out' had nothing to do with it. "That's okay, Beth. I just need to ask a few more questions and then we can forget about the kidnapping. Okay?" He waited for the reluctant dip of her head before continuing. "Good. Did you know it was St. John's father that rescued you?"

So that's why he'd latched onto Mick, she thought, quickly putting the pieces together. This was bad, but at least he had jumped to the 'father' conclusion and wasn't questioning Mick's identity. She could work with that, craft some kind of believable tale to get them both out of this. As a born storyteller and natural rule breaker, she knew lying was all about the details. She just hoped her bull-shitting skills were up to the test.

"Yeah, for a few weeks now. Amazing, isn't it? I mean, talk about fate." Beth smiled and hoped she was a good enough actress to pull this off.

"Exactly when did you find out? Did St. John tell you?" Carl kept digging, sure he was onto something.

"Mick didn't tell me," Beth ran with the story she'd begun concocting in her head, hoping it was a stroke of brilliance and not utter stupidity that led her to weave this web of half-truths. "He didn't know either. We found out together while we were working the Lee Jay Spalding case. You know his dad was involved in the original investigation, right?" Carl gave a curt nod. "Well we were hoping there'd be something in the original case file that could help us out, and we kind of stumbled onto my name while we were looking for it. We were both pretty shocked, obviously, but the more we talked the more it began to make sense."

Quirking an eyebrow and looking at Beth as if she'd just claimed to have seen an alien, Carl got incredulous. "It made sense. What about this could possibly make sense?"

A lot of things now that she was thinking like a reporter, so she answered honestly. "From the moment we met I swore I knew him. I even dreamed about him rescuing me from the bad lady. At least, I thought it was a dream. Maybe subconsciously I always knew, but Mick looks so much like his dad that it took meeting him to trigger my memory."

"And that doesn't strike you as odd? That Mick would suddenly show up out of nowhere so you could 'discover' this connection?"

"You think he orchestrated this?" It was Beth's turn to be incredulous, though she'd begun to wonder herself if it was fate or something else that had drawn Mick to that first crime scene. Not that it really mattered now. She was thankful either way and besides, she had more important things to worry about right now. "Sorry to disappoint you, but it was me who approached Mick that first night because I thought I recognized him, not the other way around."

That gave Carl pause, though it still didn't rule out St. John as the mastermind. Sure, it may have been a coincidence that had brought both Mick and Beth to the same place at the same time, and honestly, that was the option he was hoping for. But it was also possible that Mick had been stalking Beth too and she'd spotted him, or else he'd let himself be seen in order to get even closer to her. If that was the case then who knew what St. John had planned for her, which was why he couldn't risk leaving Beth alone with him. Now he just had the monumental task of convincing Beth to leave.

Leaning forward, he dropped the cop routine and faced Beth as a friend, hoping that would get better results. "I'm worried about you, Beth. I know you don't want to hear this but you need to listen to me. Someone is after you, and like it or not, your boy Mick is a suspect. I know you don't believe me and, for what it's worth, I hope I'm wrong, but this is your life we're talking about. I'd rather be cautious and wrong than have to zip you into a body bag, and if Mick is as great as you think he is then he should understand. You need protection, Beth. You need to come down to the station and let me assign a detail to keep you safe. Okay?"

Even though she resented his implied accusations, Beth was still touched by his concern which was why she didn't immediately lambast him for his suspicions. Instead she leaned forward too and carefully explained, "I'm sorry Carl, but I can't. I know you're just trying to help and I thank you for that but I'm right where I need to be. I'm safe here and I'm happy and it's all because of Mick. I just wish you could understand that. If you could see him like I do then you'd know he had nothing to do with this and you'd see that being with Mick is the absolute safest place for me."

"That's your heart talking, Beth. Not your head. Use that reporter brain of yours for a second and look at this logically. Mick's dad rescued you and 22 years later Mick just happens to show up at your first live webcast. That's one hell of a coincidence. And ever since that night your life has pretty much been a cycle of near-death experiences, all with Mick somehow involved. Can you honestly tell me that none of that would make you think twice if this was happening to someone else?"

"But it's not, it's happening to me and I already know the real story. Call it a coincidence or call it fate, but that's exactly what brought me and Mick together and I will forever be grateful for that. And as for those near-death experiences, the only reason they're 'near' and not 'death' is because of Mick."

Carl opened his mouth to respond but Beth cut him off. "Look, I know you don't trust Mick but _I do._ I trust him with my life and I know he would die before letting anything happen to me, though I pray to God it never comes to that. So no, I don't want police protection. I want Mick. Why can't that be enough for you?"

Well shit, he thought, scrubbing a hand over his face. Beth wasn't leaving him many options so he guessed her word would have to be enough for now. Not that he wouldn't be checking in on her regularly and watching St. John like a hawk. He just hoped she knew what she was doing and that St. John was worthy of that kind of trust. "Just be careful, Beth. Please. And call me if you need anything or if your attacker makes another appearance. I don't want to have to wait for the security video next time."

Beth had to bite her bottom lip to hide her cheeky grin. "Sorry about that. I wasn't exactly thinking straight last night, and I can't really say it'll be any different next time but I promise I'll try."

"Good enough. I guess by now I should know better than to expect you to think anyway." Carl couldn't resist at least one small sarcastic dig before he left, hoping it would help them get back to their usual banter. The last thing he needed right now was a rift in their friendship because of St. John, because he knew Beth would stubbornly refuse to call on him if she was even a little bit peeved. Luckily for him, Beth took the bait and tried to look indignant.

"Hey!" But she couldn't resist smiling, thankful they were back on familiar ground. Slightly more at ease now, she shot back, "I believe _I _was the one who solved your last case, buddy. So remind me again which one of us is the cop?"

Glad to see her sarcasm was alive and kicking, Carl smiled a bit at the insult and got to his feet. "If you're sure you don't want police protection, I guess I should get back to the hunt."

"I'm sure," she rushed to assure him.

"Okay, then just let me talk to St. John and I'll get out of your hair. Is he in his office?"

Beth stiffened, her heart picking up speed as some of that fear seeped back into her consciousness. "Why?"

"Because I need to get his side of the events."

"But he wasn't even there."

"I know, but he was with you shortly after the attack so I need to check a few facts with him." _Like how long he'd known about his father's role in Beth's childhood trauma, _Carl thought. "It'll only take a few minutes."

Beth chewed her bottom lip, unsure what to do when Carl turned and started towards the office. She had the strong suspicion he was up to something and there was no way she was about to let him badger Mick, but refusing his questions would look even worse. Stuck, she did the only thing she could think of. She called out Mick's name. If Carl wanted to interrogate Mick, he was damn well going to do it in front of her.


	21. Chapter 21

Thanks for all the wonderful comments :) Sorry for the long delay but school has been insane. I just wrapped up the semester though so I'll have 3 weeks to lounge around and write.

And I should warn you, Carl got a little away from me in this chapter...he's too damn good at his job, lol. Hope you like it!

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**Chapter 21**

In the office, Mick was still in a state of shock. He'd been a second away from charging to Beth's rescue when Carl had dropped his bomb. The words stopped him dead in his tracks. Letting his head fall against the door with a muted thud, he cursed himself for not being man enough to tell Beth the truth, and now it was too late. She'd found out in the worst possible way at the worst time and he could only imagine what she must be going through right now. The thought of how much she must be hurting and how betrayed she must feel made his undead heart seize up, twisting and burning with guilt and a shared pain.

Without consciously moving, Mick found himself in front of the wall of filing cabinets. Quietly pulling open a drawer, he removed the file with Beth's name on it, not yet sure what he should do with it but simply needing to have it in his hands. In the background, his ears picked up the sound of Beth's voice again and he was amazed by how strong and sure she sounded. He could only detect the slightest underlying tremble in her voice as she tried to brush Carl off, making him prouder than ever that he'd briefly got to call her his.

Keeping an ear cocked to the conversation in the living room, he began to leaf through the photos and news clippings he'd accumulated on the years, fighting the memories that accompanied them. He didn't have time to get lost in the past right now, but as always, just seeing the images was enough to center him, the new sense of calm allowing him to refocus on Beth's voice.

As she wrapped up her tale, Mick carefully removed every last one of his mementos from the file. Beth had amazed him with her ability to think on her feet and now he needed to make sure he backed up every detail of her story, which meant he needed to quickly sanitize her file in case Carl wanted to see it. Once he was sure it was completely clean of anything that could jeopardize them, he replaced the file and tried to figure out what to do with the pictures he now held.

There was a false back on one of the file cabinets that would have been perfect but he was afraid Carl would hear if he slid the cabinet out far enough to open the hidden door. He couldn't risk that so he did the next best thing. Grabbing another old file from the same drawer, he placed the photos and newspaper clippings inside. Confident that his own version of the Purloined Paper would work, he replaced the file and silently closed the drawer just in time to hear Beth calling his name.

* * *

Having heard the whole conversation, Mick fought his natural instinct to run to Beth's side and forced himself to stay in control. With one last cursory glance around the office, he opened the door to find Carl only a few feet away. But it was Beth who immediately drew his attention. He feared what he might see in her eyes but he still forced himself to meet her gaze, both needing to face the pain he'd caused her and wanting to offer his silent apology even though it was far too little too late.

But Beth's eyes were too clouded with emotion to read and he had to fight back the lump of guilt that lodged in his throat, strangling him. He dug his nails into his palm almost to the point of drawing blood, welcoming the sting of pain because it gave him something else to focus on. It helped, but not enough. He fought the urge to go to her but he honestly didn't know if his nearness would make things better or worse so he held himself in check and dragged his attention back to Carl, who was too busy glaring at Beth to see his inner turmoil.

She shrugged under his scrutiny and tried to portray an air of innocence though she doubted Carl would buy it. "What? I don't like being left out."

Carl just shook his head, well used to Beth and her antics by now. Turning back to Mick, he motioned towards the office. Mick gave a slight nod and stepped to the side, letting Carl precede him as he once again locked eyes with Beth. Seeing the slight glimmer of fear in her eyes, he tried to reassure her with a smile even though he wondered if he was the cause.

Not wanting to have his fears confirmed, he quickly turned away and started back into the office only to stop in his tracks again when he heard a small movement behind him and felt a warm hand brush his. Half afraid he was imagining things, he was slow to react. Turning slightly he saw the impossible. Beth was behind him, her head nearly touching his shoulder as she looked up at him with deep blue eyes devoid of fear.

Even though she still wasn't sure what she thought about everything she'd learned today, Beth knew what she felt. So when she saw Mick hurting, saw the fear and uncertainty in his eyes, she couldn't help but go to him. She watched the wonderment seep into his eyes as he looked down at her, his hand slowly sliding to her waist. Beth leaned into him, letting them both escape for one peaceful moment before Mick hesitantly pulled away. With one last lingering look that conveyed everything he was feeling, he reluctantly backed into the office to find Carl already glaring at him.

"Shut the door." Carl ordered, not enjoying the little display the two had just put on. Every step he took seemed to confuse him more and it was getting old fast. He'd thought he'd surprised Beth with his revelation but her actions since then contradicted that, so he wasn't sure quite what to think. That meant it was time to work on Mick and hope the P.I. would somehow slip up.

Mick barely had the time to get the door closed before Carl launched into his questions. "How long have you known about your father's role in Beth's kidnapping?"

"A few weeks." Mick crossed his arms defiantly over his chest and kept his answers typically short.

"You expect me to believe that after 22 years you just happened to find out now?"

"My dad didn't talk about his cases." The lie tripped off his tongue and he was thankful that Carl had already supplied that piece of the puzzle without question, though he wasn't surprised since that was most humans' standard logic. Hell, even Beth had seen his old picture and immediately mistaken it for his dad. Carl continued to stare at him, so already anticipating the next question, he added, "And I never had a reason to go through the files before."

"I'll need to see that file."

Having expected that, Mick wordlessly moved to the file cabinet and pulled the file, keeping his expression carefully neutral as he handed it to Carl.

Leafing through it, Carl quickly realized there wasn't much to gain. It was completely sterile, merely noting the date with some basic facts of the abduction hastily scribbled underneath in the same type of messy shorthand he often used when interviewing victims on scene. Most people would think it was unreadable but it was a skill most cops learned quickly. The hand was never as fast as the mouth, especially when shock or adrenaline was involved, and you never knew what might end up being crucial later on so you did whatever you could to keep up.

It was the mark of a professional and Carl had to wonder how long the senior St. John had been a P.I.. Glancing around the room, he noted the years on the filing cabinets and felt his curiosity peak. Though in no discernable order, it looked as though the records spanned some 50 years. He thought that didn't seem right, quickly doing the math in his head. From the Lee Jay case, he knew that St. John Senior had been around 30 in 1983. Unless he'd been working cases since birth, there was no way he could be responsible for the files from the late 50's and 60's.

That meant there had probably been another owner before Mick's dad, and since they still had the files it was probably another relative or someone close to the family who'd turned over the business to Mick's dad. Whoever it was may have still been around during Beth's kidnapping and maybe, just maybe, they'd have some more information…like how St. John Senior had found Beth in the first place. He knew it was a long shot they were even still alive, let alone that they'd be able to help but it was worth a shot to talk to someone who wasn't personally involved in the current situation. And no matter how farfetched it was, it had to be more likely than getting info out of St. John.

Pleased to at least have a plan of action now, Carl got down to the business of interrogating Mick. Even with Mick's reticent answers, it only took a handful of questions to tell he matched up with Beth's account, not that he'd expected any less. Knowing that further questioning would be useless, he swiftly dropped the subject, deciding to save it for when he had more to go on.

Instead he stepped forward, deliberately crowding Mick who didn't so much as blink. Aware that Beth probably had her ear pressed to the door, he dropped his voice and issued one last promise.

"I may not know everything that's going on yet but know this; I'm onto you, St. John. If you had anything to do with this I _will_ find out. And if anything happens to Beth, if she even gets a hangnail, I'm holding you responsible. Got it?"

Mick bit his tongue to keep from telling Carl off and kept his cold, cocky stare in place. "If you're done making up irrelevant threats, I'd appreciate you finding Beth's attacker now." He turned, giving Carl no time to respond as he stalked back to the door.

Yanking it open with more force than necessary, he had to fight a smile as Beth squealed and pitched forward until she landed against the solid wall of his chest. Once she was cradled against him, Mick did grin, knowing she couldn't see his smile and hopefully wouldn't think he'd done that on purpose. He hadn't, exactly. He'd known she was there but in his anger over Carl's last idiotic accusation and his need to get back to Beth, knowing it was the only thing that could calm him down, had made him forget until he'd already been opening the door. He probably could have stopped himself in time, he was a vampire after all, but he couldn't seem to help himself. What could he say, Beth brought out his playful side, even in all of this stress.

Leaning down, he chastised her with a teasing whisper, his breath tickling her ear. "Didn't anyone ever tell you it's not polite to eavesdrop?"

"Well if _somebody_ would make noise when they move, you would have never known I was eavesdropping." She hissed back, just as softly.

Mick bit his lip to keep from laughing as Beth began to pull away, but he couldn't hold back a smirk and she caught him. "Hey!" She smacked his chest, "No fair." Lowering her voice so Carl couldn't hear, she whispered, "I warned you about using those vamp skills against me."

Mick only grinned wider and leaned closer, his deep voice rumbling in her ear. "I thought you said it was sexy?"

"It is," she whispered back, her own voice dropping even lower at his sultry tone. "But only when I'm not on the receiving end."

"What about when I do them to you?" He shot back, emphasizing the words by lightly trailing his fingers up her arm, eliciting a slight shiver from Beth. Before they could continue though, Carl cleared his throat and Mick felt the cold slap of reality once again.

Damn, he'd forgotten all about Carl and his massive screw up. Not that he was completely surprised. Beth had a tendency to do that to him, to make the world and the situation completely fall away. But now that he did remember, he had to marvel at Beth's responses, the way she'd welcomed his touch and acted as if nothing had changed. Was that was even possible? He wondered. Was there a chance she didn't hate him for what he'd kept from her? It was all he could think about as Beth sheepishly pulled away and he felt that sickening emptiness sink deep into his bones.

Without a word, they began the trek back to the door to show Carl out, each lost in their own thoughts. Carl was still trying to wrap his brain around this latest information, trying to sift the truth from the lies while at the same time trying to come to terms with Mick and Beth's newfound relationship. A few days ago he would have been happy for her but now his gut was churning far too much to ignore.

He was sure Mick was hiding something, but he'd also paid attention to every nuance of his behavior around Beth and he could see the depth of both their feelings for each other. While that might make Mick an even more likely suspect, something no longer seemed right about that motive. Maybe it was just because Beth was his friend and he trusted her ability to see through people's bullshit, but the way they'd so easily slipped back into their usual banter had reassured him somehow. Even without hearing their words he could see the heat between them, and it seemed so natural he was almost certain it hadn't been an act.

But despite his leaning personal feelings, he wasn't ready to remove St. John from the top of the suspect list just yet. His connection to Beth's kidnapping was still too suspicious to be mere coincidence and that alone was enough to guarantee he'd remain their best lead. Until someone else came into the picture, Carl was determined to find out everything he could about the P.I., specifically anything about his past before Beth. If they'd even brushed against each other on the street before, he wanted to know about it.

He wasn't about to take a chance on Beth's safety, even if that meant stepping on a few toes and pissing her off. And if he was completely honest, the big brother in him needed to make sure Beth was in good hands.

* * *

Beth's mind was also on Mick as she continued to wonder why he'd kept this secret from her. She'd been relieved when they'd fallen back into their typical, flirty banter, though she hadn't really thought about it at the time. It was like the heaviness that had settled between them had vanished, showing them for a brief moment that nothing had really changed and they were still meant to be together. But now that tension was back and again she wasn't sure what to think or feel. All she knew for certain was that she still loved Mick and she didn't want to see him pull away again.

Taking him off guard, she quickened her pace to catch up to his long-legged stride and slipped her hand into his. She watched as his dark grey eyes shifted to her face, the hue of his hazel orbs betraying his uncertainty. It took him a second to decipher what she was trying to tell him, and another second to believe it, but finally, he gave her hand a slight squeeze, reassuring them both they were still a united front.

When they reached the door, Mick was forced to drop her hand so he could open it. He stepped to the side, holding the door open for Carl though all he wanted to do was capture Beth's hand again. But Carl wasn't ready to leave just yet. Stepping forward, he stopped in front of Beth, cutting her off from Mick's view. On impulse, he leaned forward to wrap her in a quick hug, though he wasn't sure which one of them was more surprise. Whispering on last exasperated plea to "be careful" even though he knew from experience it was a worthless endeavor. Beth called her own shots, period, and that's usually how she got what she wanted. But Beth just smiled and shook her head, telling him once again that she'd try, and with one last speculative glare at Mick, Carl left the two lovers in silence.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Sorry for the massive delay in getting this chapter done. I had some major technical difficulties and then my class load got insane. Here's an extended update to thank you all for your patience and your comments. Hope you like it! Oh, and you can thank my awesome beta Moonlighter for not only fixing all my mistakes but convincing me not to be evil and cut off this chapter on a cliffhanger :)

* * *

**Let Go – Part 22**

Mick closed the door, briefly letting his head rest against the comfortingly cool metal as he pondered what he could possibly say to explain his deceit. Beth watched as he squeezed his eyes shut before pushing away from the door. Turning to face her, he uttered the only words he could think of. "I'm sorry." Beth's slight nod of acceptance urged him to continue. "I swear I was going to tell you as soon as this was over."

"Why?" Beth voiced the question that had been bothering her most. "After all we've been through, why didn't you tell me before?"

_Because I was afraid to. _"Because I didn't know how." Beth raised a disbelieving eyebrow and he let out a deep sigh, relegating himself to the inevitable. "We should sit down. There's a lot you don't know." He gestured towards the living room but Beth was slow to move, still fixing him with an assessing stare that made him feel like she was looking through him, almost as if she could somehow see into his soul.

Mick shifted under her scrutiny, his guilt and apprehension growing as the silence between them stretched out until finally he had to look away, but the damage was already done. Those captivating eyes Beth so often got lost in were far too expressive not to give him away. She'd seen his eyes darken to a dim brown and felt the change like a kick to the chest. Dark eyes meant dark emotion but that wasn't what worried her most. It was the dimness she saw there, the disappearance of that spark that always lighted his eyes no matter how upset or tortured he might be.

Mick waited for Beth to be seated on the couch before perching himself on the edge of the chair. Unsure where to begin, his eyes skirted around the room as he searched for the right words before finally deciding to just get the worst over with. "Do you remember when I told you my wife was dead?" He asked, easing into the topic as gently as he could. Beth nodded slowly, her confusion growing as she wondered what that could possibly have to do with her kidnapping. Then an image of a lady in white flashed in her mind and she grabbed a hold of it, trying to capture the memories that had always stayed just out of reach, but no matter how hard she focused they still managed to allude her. Frustrated, she looked to Mick, planning to ask what he was trying to tell her when suddenly a memory tumbled through her mind, rapidly followed by another and then another, all of Mick from another time.

She remembered his face aglow in the lamplight, her own personal avenging angel, and the woman who'd come down from the sky. Mick's image sparked more memories and she watched mere glimpses of the unnatural battle play out in her mind. Bodies clashed in midair. The tearing of beautiful flesh. A gasp of pain. Something shattered as four year old hands had covered her eyes and then there was nothing but blackness, the world suddenly going silent around her. She'd peeked between her fingers, unable to stand the darkness any longer, and she'd found him crouched low in front of her. He'd still worn the marks of battle but there'd been no mistaking who he was, the angel that had come to save her. He'd moved slowly, trying not to startle her as he reached out a hand and promised to take her home, but he needn't have worried. She went to him without hesitation, nestling into his arms and feeling safe for the first time in days.

* * *

Mick finally unstuck the words from his throat, pulling Beth from her newfound memories. "Well…" he started only to be interrupted by Beth's soft "Don't."

He paused but still couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze until he felt her hand on top of his. Looking up, he saw the tears shining in her eyes and felt a moment of panic grip him as she got up, but she only scooted onto the coffee table until she was directly in front of him. Reaching up to stroke his hair, Beth rushed to comfort him. "It's okay, Mick. I know." But she couldn't keep the tears from rolling down her cheeks, thinking of all the pain and guilt he must have lived with and just how much he'd sacrificed for her.

Her tears jerked Mick from his own pain and he quickly pulled her onto his lap, cradling her in his arms. "Shh, don't cry." He brushed the moisture from her cheeks even as he struggled to blink back the tears gathering behind his own lids.

"But," Beth started to argue there were a few damn good reasons to cry right now. Besides, she was supposed to be the one comforting him, not the other way around, but Mick pressed a finger to her lips before she could protest.

"No, Beth. No buts. I made my choice that night and I don't regret it." _Well, not entirely but she doesn't need to know that_. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat. You know that, right?" Beth nodded instantly, not doubting for a second, and Mick continued, admitting a thought he'd been wrestling with for the last month.

"Do you see why I couldn't tell you now? I killed my wife." His voice broke, and to his horror, he felt the sting of tears overflowing his eyes but he pushed forward, needing to get the ugly truth out in the open. "I killed my wife and as much as I wish it could have ended less violently, a part of me is glad I did it. Because if Coraline hadn't died I may have never met you, and that's one thing I couldn't live with. What kind of person does that make me?"

Beth reached up to stroke his cheek, holding him still when he tried to look away. Without a word, she lifted up to claim his lips, trying to pour her heart and soul into that simple press of skin on skin. When they broke apart, Beth pulled back enough to look into his eyes, needing that connection they'd always shared. Keeping her voice low, she answered his rhetorical question. "That makes you human, Mick. If anything, it just proves what an incredible man you are. I know you did everything you could to help your wife even after what she'd done to you, right? You could have hated her for taking away your life but instead you're the one who feels guilty. That's because you're such an honorable guy…maybe too honorable for your own good sometimes, but that's part of your charm.

"A lesser man wouldn't have beat himself up all these years, Mick, but now it's time to let it go. You're not Superman, remember? You can't save everybody. But you saved me, in more ways than you know. You were my guardian angel and the only reason I think I was able to get on with my life is because you made me feel safe, like nothing bad could ever really happen because there were heroes like you protecting the world. I don't think that would have happened if it had been anyone else who had saved me that night. It's you, Mick. It was always you.

"And for what it's worth, I feel the same screwed up way you do about all this. If it took getting kidnapped to meet you then it was worth it, because this is the way it's supposed to be. Deep down, I think you know that too."

Beth stopped to let her words sink in, hoping she'd gotten through to him, but Mick couldn't wait any longer. Half a beat later his lips were on hers, rough with emotion at first then slowly gentling to the barest of kisses as the mind-numbing urgency ebbed to a mild throbbing.

Pulling away to let her catch her breath, Mick took in her lightly flushed skin and slightly parted mouth and, almost to himself, whispered, "What did I do to deserve you?"

"You saved me," Beth reminded him softly but instead flashing her one of his little half-grins like she'd expected, she felt Mick stiffen against her.

_Shit_, he thought, realizing he still hadn't told her the worst of it. Pulling even further away, he left only his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to reassure her, though he had a feeling it was more for his benefit than hers.

Beth picked up on his sudden tension and started to ask what was wrong but Mick squeezed her shoulders to silence her, letting his thumb gently stroke her collarbone. Taking one last deep breath, he came to a decision. "There's something you need to see," he told her. "Wait here." Placing Beth gently beside him, Mick stood and stalked to his office like a man on his way to the gallows. With each step he fought the urge to look back at Beth, knowing that doing so would crumble his resolve in a heartbeat. He deserved a week in a tanning bed for the pain he was about to cause her but she deserved to know the truth, no matter how ugly it might be.

As soon as he entered the office he went straight to his file cabinet, not allowing himself the luxury of a breath. He didn't know how to tell her what he'd done, how to make her understand, but he could show her. Pulling the file that was his makeshift hiding place, he removed the evidence of their intertwined past and leafed through them one last time until he found the laminated newspaper clipping he was looking for. Slipping it into his back pocket, he made sure he had everything he needed before replacing the folder and slamming the file drawer closed with far more force than necessary. With one last steadying breath, he made his way back to Beth, all the while praying she'd be able to forgive him.

* * *

Mick opted to sit on the coffee table, as if the little bit of space between them would somehow make this easier, and that one move immediately put Beth on alert. He could tell she was confused but he didn't have the words to try to reassure her so he simply took her hand, giving it one last squeeze before holding out the pictures in his other hand. Turning her hand so it was palm up in his, he rested the photos face down in her hand.

Beth stared at the white backs of the photographs, more confused than before. She was used to Mick's moods and his stoic nature but she'd never seen him this solemn before and it was starting to scare her. She started to ask what was going on but he cut her off.

"I'm sorry, Beth. You know I'd never hurt you and I hate that I have to do this now but you need to look at these. Then I promise I'll explain everything, okay? Just promise me you'll give me the chance to explain." With one last pleading glance, he removed his hands from hers and leaned back to give her more space.

Beth's questioning eyes locked on his as she slowly turned over the photos. Something told her she wasn't going to like whatever Mick had to show her and for once her natural curiosity was absent, so she was hesitant to break their eye contact. Mick waited silently, returning her stare until finally, after a deep breath, she dropped her eyes to the pictures clasped in her hands.

What she saw stole her breath and she quickly flipped to the next photo, and then the next, but she didn't find any relief. They were all the same subject…her, in different stages of life. There was one of her at horse riding camp, another from one of her childhood trips to the beach. After the fourth picture, she couldn't take her own face staring back at her anymore. She threw the pictures down and watched them flutter to the floor, needing to get as far away from them as possible. She started to stand but the barest touch of Mick's hand on her knee stopped her.

"I understand if you hate me now," he said softly, his eyes focused on his hand on her knee, "but at least hear me out. Let me tell you the whole truth. You deserve that much."

Beth swallowed down the myriad of emotions flooding her brain, her eyes burning with unshed tears. He was right, she needed to know what had happened all those years ago. He'd saved her and then he'd followed her and she needed to understand why, even though she knew he had to have had a good reason. Despite the shock of seeing those pictures, she'd never doubted that. But she still needed time to process, time to make sense of it all but she needed the whole story to do that, so she leaned back against the couch, giving him her silent permission to continue. And, after a deep, steadying breath, he did.

"After your kidnapping…after I killed Coraline," he choked out the words he despised, "it changed me. I was reckless, flying through life and taking every stupid risk I possibly could to try to work myself into the ground. I want you to know that I _never_ regretted saving you and even when I was at my worst I still would have done it again in a heartbeat, but at the time I didn't know how else to handle what had happened. I couldn't deal with what I'd done or how I felt about it, and I couldn't stop thinking that everything had been my fault. Coraline had kidnapped you, tormented you, all because of me, and she died because of my stake and my flame. So I thought if some scumbag got in a lucky shot and I ended up decapitated in a dark alley somewhere, it'd be what I deserved. Hell, even Josef was worried about me. I was so close to gone I didn't think I'd ever be able to claw my way back to the living, and I didn't think I even wanted to. I didn't think I deserved it. But then you saved me."

Mick shifted so he could pull out the clipping from his back pocket, holding it out for Beth to see. It was from the 'Bragging Grandparents' section, just a short article with a grainy black and white picture of a smiling, 6-year-old Beth. A few lines of text proclaimed she'd gotten straight-A's on her report card and an award for perfect attendance. Beth stared, riveted, at the long-forgotten article as Mick went on to explain, his voice rough with a cocktail of painful emotions.

"I was working a stakeout near your neighborhood. I picked up a paper to help me blend in and pass the time, and suddenly there you were. Shocked the hell out of me," he half-laughed. "You were so perfect, so happy and thriving despite the hell you'd been through. It was proof that I'd done something right, that I hadn't killed my ex-wife in vain. I knew that I'd rescued you that night but seeing with my own eyes that you were really okay somehow made everything different. It's like it was finally real, like I could finally believe that what I'd done meant something. I still struggled with my own demons and I probably always will, but in that instant, I had a purpose again.

So I kept this with me and looked at it every time I needed a reminder, every time I wanted to give up. I even had it laminated so it wouldn't disappear like so many other things in my life. And over time I started to get back to my old self-loathing self again. Because of you."

Beth took in his words, her heart breaking for all the pain he'd shouldered alone. She slid forward, placing a hand on his knee as she said a silent thank you to God or fate or whatever had brought that newspaper to him. Choking back her own tears once again, she told him, "I understand, Mick. You needed to check up on me to make sure I was still okay, right? And I was right all those years, you really were my guardian angel." She smiled through blurry eyes but Mick stayed grim.

"Guardian angel?" He forced a flat laugh, "I _stalked_ you, Beth. Don't try to romanticize it. No matter what my reasons were, no matter what I say, it was wrong. Nothing's going to change that. Because If anyone else had done to you what I did, I'd have killed them with no questions asked. So how the hell can I be your guardian angel when I'm just another fuck-up?"

"How can you say that?" Beth exploded, giving him the full brunt of her pent up emotions. "I wouldn't even be alive if it wasn't for you. And maybe deep down I always knew you were watching over me. I told you before that the only reason I was able to move on was because it was you who saved me, because you'd made me feel so safe. Well this proves it. Maybe I always felt safe because I knew you were protecting me, and that's why I always called you my guardian angel. We saved each other, Mick, and now we're together and happy" _when you're not being an idiot_, "so I have to believe everything worked out exactly the way it was supposed to. Why can't you believe that, too?"

Mick shook his head, wishing he could agree with her and let it go, but just like before, his guilty conscience was holding him back. As much as he hated to, he still had a few more truths he had to lay on her before she could truly understand the situation, so he'd wait to see if she still thought of him the same way after.

* * *

"I never meant to see you again, not at first. But a few months after I found the article I had another kidnapping case. It didn't go well." That was an understatement if he'd ever heard one, he thought as his mind flashed back to that horrendous day. The gut-wrenching agony of a parent missing a child was something you never forgot, and he remembered that day with crystal clarity. From the tremble in the parents' voices as they begged him to bring their little girl home to the pool of her own rich blood she'd been soaking in when he found her.

He'd known before he spotted the body that there was nothing he could do, the stench of cold death already assaulting his nose, but still he'd inched closer, horrified by the sight before him until, for a moment, he'd sworn it was Beth's cherub face nestled among the small girl's blonde curls. It had only been a second, a quick trick of light and memory but Mick had run from the building at full vamp speed, gulping fresh air into his lungs and trying to keep his bloody breakfast from creeping back up.

That night, after he'd finished with the police, he'd had to go check on Beth just to prove to himself she was still breathing. It was summer, still early evening so he'd found her outside her house chasing fireflies and squealing each time she caught one. She was an adorable bundle of non-stop energy but she'd somehow calmed him, allowing him his first easy breaths all night.

She was so innocent, so carefree despite everything she'd been through and he'd marveled at her ability to bounce back. This small child could do what he couldn't. She'd managed to move on, to live a carefree life while he had to fight just to get out of the freezer each night. Captivated by her resilience, he'd kept to the shadows and watched until long after her mother had called her back inside.

He couldn't seem to make himself leave her, fearing that something would happen to the one last good thing in his world if he dared to leave her unguarded. There was far too much evil in the world and sometime in the last few hours it had become his mission in life to protect her from it.

Just before the dawn broke the sky, he'd finally left his post with the silent promise that he'd be back, just out of sight. Because this little girl deserved nothing but lightness and laughter and he was going to make sure that nothing dark ever touched her again…including him.

But obviously, that hadn't worked out exactly as he'd planned, though he did keep his other promise. He'd kept track of her from afar, using his P.I. skills to keep a virtual eye on her. And at least once a year on the day that was the hardest for him, he'd gone to her, reassuring himself she was still okay, still alive and happy. He'd seen her grow and watched as that youthful innocence had slowly drained from her eyes, leaving only a small twinkle untouched by the harsh reality of life experience.

It had hurt to watch that little princess disappear even as he'd been proud of the young woman she'd become. Until one day she was all grown up, and she hadn't needed him anymore.

* * *

It was only as he wrapped up his inner tale that he realized words had been pouring from his mouth during his trek through the past. At some point Beth had moved onto his lap again, resting her head on his chest, and his arms were circled tightly around her, unconsciously wrapping her in his protective embrace. Not about to question it, Mick closed his eyes and let himself bury his face in her hair, inhaling deeply to capture her scent as if holding it inside him could somehow cleanse his soul and erase the past. They were both content to stay that way, locked together in silent contemplation until Beth finally spoke up.

"It was you," she whispered into his chest, awed by the latest kernel of the past that had jumped into her mind. But it made perfect sense so she pulled back enough to look up at Mick, who was already staring down at her with a puzzled look on his face. "My first night at UCLA. It was you who sent the flowers and the teddy bear, the one with the leather jacket."

Mick sheepishly looked away, embarrassed both by what he'd done and the stupid pride he felt knowing she remembered his gift. It had been a lark that had driven him to the flower shop that day. He'd been there the day she left for college, needing to make sure she got off safely just one last time. He'd watched her leave everything behind from his spot in the shadows and known it was the end. She was leaving one part of her life behind to start another, a life he had no part in. She wasn't going to be there for him to lean on for the anniversary of her kidnapping in a few weeks, and he wouldn't be standing in the shadows waiting to save her.

For the first time in 14 years, they were both going to do it alone. A part of him was terrified by that knowledge but all it took was one look at Beth, bubbling with energy as she finished packing up her car, to reassure him. He'd be fine, because of her. She'd shown him how to survive again. Besides, he had to be ready. He never knew when Beth might need his help again and he planned on being here, just in case.

But as Beth pulled out of the drive and he'd turned to leave, something had stopped him. It seemed wrong for 14 years to end like that, to just walk away on such an important day. What if she got stuck with the roommate from hell? Or what if she got homesick? He couldn't be there to keep the bad things at bay any longer and even though he had faith that Beth could handle whatever came her way, he still felt like he should do something. That's what had motivated his brief stop on the way home, at least that's what he'd told himself. But maybe he'd just wanted her to have something to remember him by, even if she didn't know there was anything to remember.

Now, if the mischievous gleam in Beth's eye was any indicator, his little gesture was coming back to bite him in the ass. "Yeah, that was me." He grudgingly admitted, hoping she would let it drop there. But of course, this was Beth so he prepared himself for the third degree.

"You have no idea how much time I spent trying to figure out who that was from. Why didn't you sign it?"

Mick rolled his eyes. "Yeah, 'cause getting gifts from some random guy you've never heard of before doesn't scream 'stalker.'"

Well, she guessed he had a point there. At least now the note made more sense, and so did his choice of bears. She started to giggle, earning a glare from Mick who thought she was laughing at him. "A leather jacket?" she choked out between giggles, "Awww, you sent me you."

_Oh God_, Mick rolled his eyes, _she just had to pick up on that_. He still remembered standing in that damn flower shop surrounded by a million choices and trying to choose the right one, like it really meant something if he chose a dog over a bear or one with a bow over one with a hat. Then he'd seen the sepia brown bear with soft, silky tufts of fur and a dark brown leather jacket. It had seemed like such a perfect symbol, a throwback to the start of their relationship, so he'd bought it to go with the dozen pink-tipped white Moonstone roses, at least that's what the florist had called them. After agonizing over the card for half an hour and tossing out such frighteningly bad drafts as '_thought_ _you could use someone new to watch over you_,' he'd finally settled on simply '_A friend to help you start your new life _–_ May it be everything you dreamed it would._'

* * *

_Note:_ Here's a picture of the kind of rose Mick sent Beth in case you're curious: dixieroseclub[DOT]org/moonstone[DOT]html _(you'll have to change the [DOT] to . since that's the only way it'll let me post the site)_

I was trying to come up with the right flower for him to send (and, just maybe, procrastinating a little in the process, lol) and when I saw there was a Moonstone rose, it seemed too perfect to pass up.


End file.
